New law on removal of the "bronze statue"

Estonia has passed a new law to guarantee peace and protection for war cemeteries. But the real issue, say both supporters and critics, is the creation of a legal means to remove the controversial "bronze statue," a Soviet-era memorial that has gained cult-status among those nostalgic for the old regime. "It is no surprise that the new law immediately drew a negative reaction from Russia. But the law hardly means that the memorial would disappear. It only provides a legal justification. Even if the statue should be removed and the dead laid to rest elsewhere, this would occur in a legal manner, not with force and provocation. One thing is clear: Nothing more will happen before the elections, but we will be exposed to a propaganda attack from Moscow in the coming weeks."

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