Estonia: MEP Yana Toom visits pro-Kremlin activist in Russia

Estonian MEP Yana Toom of the Estonian Centre Party (Keskerakond) visited Russia to meet with pro-Russia activist Zoja Paljamar, who was barred from entering Estonia for security reasons, ERR reports. Toom said that she was visiting her sister in Russia. “Perhaps someone also has a relative in North Korea, too,” she explained. Toom announced on social media that she had met with Paljamar and brought her “necessary items” and medication in early June 2023. Toom has said that she seeks to end all deportation efforts against non-citizens in Estonia. Meanwhile, Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets (SDE) argued that visiting an aggressor state was “morally reprehensible and highly undesirable,” yet a Centre Party politician had again been unable to “control her love for Russia.” He reminded that the Foreign Ministry strongly advised Estonians not to travel to Russia.