Covid-19, Estonia, EU – Baltic States, Legislation, Markets and Companies, Transport

Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Reinsalu wrote on social media that Estonia made a proposal this week to Finland, Latvia and Lithuania to raise the limit for quarantine-free movement to 25 infection cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

Lithuania agreed to the proposal and is raising its limit to 25, as did Finland on Thursday. Latvia has kept its limit at the previous level of 16 cases.

"Estonia will establish a new limit number of 25 for travelers coming from Finland, Latvia and Lithuania, because there are trust measures established with those countries," Reinsalu said, according to the English-language news portal of ERR. 

"Presumably, taking into consideration coronavirus infection numbers in Estonia for tomorrow [Friday - ed.], quarantine will be required for travelers from Estonia going to Latvia, excluding residents of Valga, transit travelers and workers," the foreign minister added.

Reinsalu commended diplomats and health experts for their work.

"As of right now, free movement will remain for travel to Finland and Lithuania and Latvia. Thank you to the governments of Lithuania and Finland for a decision in a situation where Estonia's case rate is higher than in other countries," he said, according to ERR News.

Reinsalu also acknowledged Latvia for making exceptions and said that Latvia is welcome to join the new area, which based on Thursday's decisions consists of Finland, Estonia and Lithuania.