Tallinn itself has initiated a “natural war” with Russia — tough economic competition.
In Tallinn — panic. And not because of the Russian tanks, which a few years ago, the frightened Minister of defence Mart Laar, former adviser to Saakashvili, but because of… tanks. It was much worse. Tanks don’t come, reducing the electoral base of the local rules, but the tank with fuel oil go. The Estonian delegation rushed to Moscow to try to keep Russian transit.
So, in the Baltic Republic was the collapse of the Russian transit. According to Estonian state-owned railway company EVR Cargo, the cargo transportation volume between Russia and Estonia in the beginning of the year fell by 39%, the process continues. Chairman of the Board EVR Cargo Raoul Toomsalu fears: the decline of the railway transit from Russia will lead to massive cuts.
This problem already occurred after April 2007, when the authorities removed from the center of Tallinn monument to the soldier — liberator from fascism — the “Bronze soldier”, from which the capital originated the unrest, violently suppressed by the police, was killed by a local resident — a citizen of Russia, and many of our companies announced a boycott of Estonia. Including RZD. The company stopped deliveries of oil “in connection with the repair of the road”.
According to the estimates of ex-Prime Minister of Estonia, Chairman of the Board summerhouse of the sillamäe port of Sillamäe Sadam AS Tiit, wahi, who advocated normal relations with Russia, losing because of problems with the Russian Federation amounted to 8 billion euros per year. But time heals, slowly the relationship was restored. However, the West severely aggravated them because of their opinion on the Ukrainian crisis and rejection of the positions of Russia, the annexation of Crimea. In response to Western sanctions our country imposed an embargo, which affected, of course, and Estonia. Moscow was hit on the Estonian sprats, meat, milk and vegetables, which in the crisis proved these industries. And so it came to Russian transit.
“Under the most severe blow was the petroleum products and their transportation,” says Chairman of the Board of the port of Tallinn Waldo Kalm. “In the future the volume will fall even more”, says Tiit, Vahi, stressing: such a sharp drop in Russian transit train will hit the entire economy of Estonia.
Some experts, for example, the Chairman of the Board of the railway company Eesti Raudtee Sulev Loo, do not exclude the collapse of transit from Russia to zero, but they themselves don’t believe, expressing the hope that these problems are temporary, related to difficulties in the Russian economy. “The reasons are economic: oil has fallen in price. Russia produces less oil, and she found it for sale with the best opportunities at its ports. It’s as simple as,” he said.
But if it were that simple, as suggested by this Estonian railway, then to Moscow, and quickly went out the delegation of Estonian Railways company headed by Sulev Loo? Logic tells us that if the fall of the transit via Estonia — forced, according to him, the measure of Russia related to problems in the economy, then why race at talks in Moscow? Until that comes out, you still cannot change the situation. Right? — says politologist Yuriy Dolinskiy.
— You want to say that the causes of the collapse of the Russian transit policy?
Not exactly. I want to say it’s not as easy as it slyly tries to “calm” the head of the Estonian railway company. He’s telling the truth. Estonia, like other Baltic countries, and the West in General, have stimulated the rapid development of the Russian economy, and Russia naturally puts its considerable part on its own rails — literally and figuratively. Western sanctions have hit Russia hard, especially in the banking sector, but also spurred the development of the agricultural sector. Not for nothing did the Russian farmers during the direct line with Vladimir Putin in essence… support these are very useful for their industry, the anti-Russian actions of the West, expressed concern that the sanctions will cancel, and then on the Russian market is again flooded with strangers, often of poor quality, though wrapped in attractive packaging products. I, figuratively speaking, I am sure that is soiled in the earth of the Russian plump sweet carrot straight better washed chemical Western.
Well, with the transit occur similar processes. Permanent anti-Russian attacks even before the Ukrainian crisis, prospects guessing has led the Russian government to the decision to undertake the development of the sea ports of the country. Soon after April events in Tallinn in 2007 the then first Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov, evaluating new transit possibilities of Russia, including in connection with the work of the new port of Ust-Luga, said: by 2015 the country will have enough resources to stop all exports through the Baltic ports. And so it happens. Well not in 2015 there will be a final solution to the issue, in the present or in the next. The task is almost completed. The West itself has spurred the development of the Russian economy and sea ports.
— But it’s a natural process. Each country develops its economic structure. The port of Ust-Luga, Kaliningrad and others — is no exception.
— Of course. But we’ll see. And so it is known about the rapid development of Ust-Luga. But in response to your question, I looked at the stats and saw: after the events of the 2007 first year was a slight decline in the turnover of Russian ports, apparently associated with inertia and the construction work, the commissioning of new terminals, and then a sharp abrupt rise. In 2009 the cargo turnover of Ust-Luga rose from 7 million tons 2007 to 10 or more. And “jumped” to nearly 88 million tons last year. And by 2020, it is planned to increase to 180 million tons. Experts say this is largely due to the outflow of Estonian transit directions via the port of Tallinn, who lost last year 20% of turnover. That is, the process in General goes as planned, Sergei Ivanov.
— So, and the Russian transit through Estonia is actually “leaked” a long time?
— Yes. The process goes, maybe a little slower than planned, but the West itself it spurs. In 2006, through Estonia averaged 32 with the extra Russian freight trains per day. But, for example, in the week from 28 March to 3 April. This “flowing away” happened gradually. In 2015, for example, the Tallinn port was lost because of more than 30 million euros. Now, it seems, is approaching the moment of truth in the economic relations of Russia with Estonia. I think Estonians will no longer receive dividends from the policy of biting Russia prizvaniem. And that in fact Tallinn, on the one hand, people are afraid of the way the aggressive Russian bear, on the other, he sends the same signals about friendship. For example, plan to ratify the border Treaty with Russia, and the Minister of foreign Affairs Marina Kaljurand said recently that Estonia is not going to present Russia demands compensation for “Soviet occupation”. Estonians are pragmatic. The contract, and so necessary to the Tallinn and as for “damage”, Estonian politicians understand: all these claims are baseless and useless. Why not donate part of anti-Russian ideology for the sake of economic interests?
But the West has taught Russia to pragmatism. What friendship? What do you mean? Judging by the events in the economy, Moscow puts the resolution of economic issues on a purely pragmatic basis.
