Media: Estonian military to be authorised to sink civilian ships that pose a threat
The Estonian military may be granted the right to use force to strengthen maritime security, including the right to sink civilian vessels that pose a threa, TASS reports
Estonian national television and radio portal ERR reported that the National Defence Committee of the Riigikogu (Estonian Parliament) has proposed a draft law that would allow defence forces, in accordance with the international law of the sea, to use force, if other means are ineffective, in the country’s maritime zone to protect infrastructure, state defence facilities, ports, equipment or vessels that provide vital services.
“This should enable us to operate not only in the territorial sea, which is the 12 nautical miles that we and any other country have from the coast and islands, but also in the exclusive economic zone. Right up to the point where Estonia’s exclusive economic zone comes into contact with the exclusive economic zones of other countries,” said Committee Chairman Kalev Stoicescu.
The Estonian Defence Forces will also have the right to sink a civilian vessel that poses a threat if it is impossible to repel the threat by other measures or to do so in a timely manner, ERR explains.
The portal emphasises that force may be used if the harm it causes is significantly less than the potential harm caused by the threat. In this case, the ship’s master and the flag state should be notified as soon as possible.
