The Estonian parliament has approved a government bill to terminate the agreement with Russia on legal assistance and legal relations in civil, family and criminal matters, ERR TV channel reports, according to UNN.
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Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tahkna announced his intention to terminate the treaty in January. According to the parliament's decision, the agreement will be in force until the spring of 2025, after which it will be terminated.
The TV channel's material emphasizes that the termination of the agreement may create additional difficulties for citizens. For example, when entering into or dissolving a marriage with a Russian citizen or when processing inheritance documents.
On January 18, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tähkna announced that the Estonian government had decided to terminate the legal assistance agreement with Russia. At that time, 62 deputies voted in favor of terminating the agreement, 10 voted against, and no one abstained. On the same day, the Latvian government made a similar decision.
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The Treaty on Legal Assistance between Estonia and Russia was concluded on March 19, 1995. The agreement provides for the simplification of legal procedures, delivery of documents and cooperation in the investigation of criminal cases. It was automatically extended every five years. To denounce the agreement, a party must notify the other party at least six months before the end of the five-year period. This period will end on March 18, 2025, after which the agreement will not be extended.