TALLINN - The Security Police poured oil into the fire of Estonia's inter-ethnic relations last week after releasing its annual report in which the law enforcement agency claimed that Russia has financed political movements whose aim is the destabilization of the Baltic state. The Security Police singled out the Constitution Party, whose predominantly Russian constituents failed to win any seats in the March general elections, as a project created to undermine Estonia. The agency even accused the Russian Embassy of financing the upstart party.
"It [the Constitution Party] is a peculiar combination striving to represent the entire Russian-speaking population of Estonia, yet its main financiers and ideological supporters are diplomats from the Russian Embassy in Tallinn, various departments of the Moscow city government, Russian media and various contacts of Russian special services," the Security Police wrote.
The agency claimed that Russia funded the party through clandestine means, including cultural projects and events. "By written application from the Russian Embassy, the Constitution Party would seek additional money from authorities in Moscow as well as from Russian businessmen in Estonia," the report said.
The report even took a swipe at the party's integrity, saying its leaders often failed to spend the funds on their designated purposes. Ethnic Russians' efforts to take care of war graves and memorials were also assailed, with the Security Police claiming that the tasks were outsourced and money siphoned off to finance other aims.
The agency said plans are already being made for the 2011 elections, as well as the next ballot for the European Parliament.
Other accusations against Russian activists include inciting opposition to upcoming educational reform that foresees more Estonian language instruction in predominantly Russian language schools.
Reaction to the annual report was immediate, and vitriolic. The Russian Embassy admitted that its officials had regular meetings with Estonia's ethnic Russian residents, but that this is "normal practice accepted in all democratic states."
"Thus the attempts to label and unjustifiably accuse Russian diplomats of interfering in Estonia's internal affairs and place the blame for the current situation in the country on the so-called 'hand of Moscow' elicit incomprehension and indignation," the embassy said.
The embassy pointed out that Ambassador Nikolai Uspensky on April 25 met with officials of Estonia's Foreign Affairs Ministry to refute all accusations that Russian diplomats were involved in any activities unsuited to their status.
Constitution Party Chairman Andrei Zarenkov defended the party's integrity. "The Constitution Party is a legitimate organization that unites Estonian citizens and expresses interests of a certain part of the population," he told the Baltic News Service.
"If a party's fight for equal rights, freedom of expression and Russian-medium schools is described as extremism in our country, the question arises whether we wanted this kind of state when we supported restoration of Estonian independence 15 years ago," Zarenkov said.
He said that the accusations against him were an attempt to shift responsibility for tension in society to someone else. He also defended the anti-fascism committee, which the Security Police described as the only left-wing extremist group officially registered in Estonia.
"It is not the duty of the committee (to participate) in underground or unlawful activity but to create a field of information in opposition to the spread of neo-Nazi ideas in Estonia and the European Union," Zarenkov, who chairs the committee, said.
Meanwhile, Russian businessman Andrei Filatov, also expressed amazement at the police report, which accused the millionaire of trying to lead a Kremlin-backed plan to unite Estonia's ethnic Russians.
"I am not involved in politics in Russia, Estonia or any other country," he added. "I have repeatedly stressed this in my address to the public."
Last year the Center Party, which at the time was in the ruling coalition, tried to help Filatov acquire Estonian citizenship. The attempt failed due to wide media and political criticism.
As the Security Police wrote in the report, "In Filatov's case we're dealing with classic influence on a large scale, the constituent parts of which are financing populist undertakings, backing specific politicians, and buying popularity from public relations managers."
Filatov said he founded Monument, a group that takes care of the some 300 war graves and memorials throughout Estonia, out of respect for World War II soldiers. He said that the presumption of innocence should be observed in Estonia.
"I presume the principle applies also to investors who come from outside the European Union and have decided to invest into Estonia," he said. "I must say with sincere regret that the principle has not always been observed with respect to me personally, as well as to companies connected with me."
