TALLINN - Russia's determination to punish Estonia economically for the recent decision to relocate a Red Army war grave and monument in downtown Tallinn seemed to undergo a revision last week, with reports indicating that restrictions on trade and transit were relaxed. Eesti Raudtee (Estonian Railway), said May 21 that the volume of rail cargo was growing steadily even though it had yet to reach levels prior to the collapse in Estonian-Russian relations.
Spokesman Urmas Glase told the Baltic News Service that the company received 26 trains on May 18, 23 on May 19 and 25 on May 20. Finally, 27 trains crossed the border on May 21, he said.
By comparison, Estonian Railway received an average of 35.2 trains daily in April.
"So it is premature to talk about the previous rail freight volumes being restored, although in comparison with last week's low when we received 16 trains daily there has been a substantial change for the better in trade," Glase observed.
The spokesman added that due to the steep drop in freight volumes, the state-owned company was slashing expenses and investments. Staff will also be laid off, he added.
The news agency Reuters reported on May 17 that Russian Railways had renewed deliveries of oil products to Estonian ports following a two-week cut-back.
"This [renewal of deliveries 's ed.] had to happen since it was obvious from the very beginning that Russia can't redirect such large volumes from Estonia," a source told Reuters. "Other ports just don't have the capacity."
In the days following the removal of the Bronze Soldier statue from Tonismagi, Russian Railways rerouted some 50,000 tons of oil products and 300,000 tons of heavy fuel oil that had been destined for export via Estonia.
Estonian officials, including Prime Minister Andrus Ansip, said that such actions would not harm the Baltic state's economy and that, in the end, if the price and quality of service were good, Russian exporters would eventually return.
Russia has limited export capacities of its own, as the southern port in Novorossisk on the Black Sea is perpetually hampered by weather conditions and the Primorsk port on the Gulf of Finland is working at maximum capacity.
Meanwhile, top ranking Russian and Estonian officials met in Ivangorod, across the Narova River from Narva, to discuss a prohibition on heavy trucks crossing the bridge into Estonia. Russia put the restrictions in effect last week. They claimed the move was necessary due to the bridge's poor condition.
Deputy ministers from both countries' transport ministries agreed to conduct a joint survey in order to assess the bridge.
"Experts from both sides will start working in the coming few days, and the survey is expected to be completed in two or three months. First, we will present the Russian side a survey conducted in 2005 to evaluate the condition of the bridge," Siim-Valmar Kiisler of the Estonian Ministry of Economy and Communications told the Baltic News Service.
