Construction of the infrastructure on the southeastern border has reached the final stretch after two sections totaling almost 26 kilometers were completed this week.
Estonia has been strengthening its eastern border for several years, building fences and installing surveillance equipment.
The newly completed sections stretch from the Koidula road border crossing point to Saatse. Construction cost €12 million and was co-financed by the European Union, the Ministry of the Interior said in a press release.
“I think the Estonian taxpayer can be satisfied that the right investment was made. If we think about all the challenges neighboring countries here have faced with illegal migration attacks, then we certainly have proper border infrastructure in place to repel that,” Minister of Interior Igor Taro (Eesti 200) said during a visit.
Surveillance equipment will be installed on the 30-meter-high masts, which will guard and protect the border.
Veiko Kommusaar, deputy director general of the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) for border guard affairs, said: “The masts have very good technical solutions that can handle the load required to ensure the security of the entire border. Then there will be conventional surveillance systems, radar systems and counter-drone – or rather, drone surveillance systems. And electronic jamming equipment for counter-drone purposes can also be fitted on top of these masts.”
All construction work on the €180 million eastern border infrastructure is expected to be completed next year.
“The land border is now 80 percent covered by infrastructure, and by the end of the year, when the next two sections with a total length of 20 kilometers are completed, this will already reach 90 percent,” Taro added.
The minister said a separate decision needs to be made on the final 14 kilometers of the land border. “Originally, there were no plans to build it because the area is naturally difficult – bogs and wetlands that already act as obstacles themselves. However, given the current situation with migration pressure, I nevertheless see that this too needs to be built,” Taro said.
“This requires €18 million, of which €14.5 million would be spent on infrastructure and €3.5 million on surveillance equipment. Then there will no longer be any uncovered sections on our land border,” he added.
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