OREANDA-NEWS The Ministry of Finance of Estonia has supported the idea of closing the Koidula automobile checkpoint (Kunichina Gora checkpoint from the Russian side) on the border of Russia and Estonia, the ERR edition reports with reference to Finance Minister Marta Vyrklaeva. Earlier, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Estonia asked other ministries to express their opinion on the expediency of closing the border crossing.

According to the Ministry of Finance, the statistics of border crossing speak in favor of closing the checkpoint. For example, the number of trucks crossing the border to Koidula decreased by 31% between 2022 and 2023. The Ministry of Finance also believes that the closure of the checkpoint will help save about € 11 million on its maintenance and repair.

At the same time, the Estonian authorities did not make a final decision on closing the border crossing. According to Mart Vyrklaev, it is necessary to consider alternatives to closing the checkpoint, since such a step will negatively affect the employment of the local population and "the possibility of movement and work in border areas."

The fact that Estonia will consider the issue of closing the Koidula border checkpoint due to reductions in border crossings became known in May of this year. Interior Minister Lauri Lyaenemet said that in the east of the country, in addition to Koidula, there is also a Luhamaa point (located on the Riga-Pskov highway). It should be noted that the Narva border checkpoint in Ivangorod in the Leningrad region also operates for motorists.

Recall that in August last year Estonia closed the border for Russian tourists with Schengen visas issued by its consular service. In September 2022, the republic, along with three other states — Latvia, Lithuania and Poland — banned the entry of Russians with a visa of any Schengen country.