According to Minister of the Interior Lauri Läänemets, the European Commission’s decision is both a recognition and a vote of confidence. "First, it reflects the increasing priority given to safeguarding the EU's eastern border. Second, it demonstrates trust in Estonia’s achievements so far and our plans for the future. Estonia is responsible for protecting the external border of the European Union and the Schengen area. This additional funding will enable us to deploy more advanced technologies and capabilities to protect not only our own borders but also the overall security of the Schengen zone," Läänemets emphasised.
Estonia will receive €19.4 million, Latvia €17 million, Lithuania €15.4 million, Finland €50 million, Poland €52 million, and Norway €16.4 million. The funds will be used for upgrading electronic surveillance equipment, improving telecommunications networks, deploying mobile identification devices, and countering drone attacks. These measures aim to ensure real-time situational awareness and enhance the mobility of border patrols.
The Russian Federation and Belarus have been using migration as a political weapon to destabilise European countries and undermine the integrity of the Schengen area. In 2024, the number of illegal border crossings at the EU-Belarus border increased by 66% compared to 2023. In many cases, border crossers used visas issued by the Russian Federation.
The total allocation under the BMVI programme currently exceeds €53 million, with the additional funding incorporated alongside Estonia’s co-financing obligations. These funds can be utilised until the end of 2029, with 97% of the existing funding already available for use. The primary beneficiary of this support is the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board.
The EU’s financial support has been instrumental in establishing and maintaining Estonia’s eastern border, which is also the EU’s external border. Through the EU’s internal security funding instruments, Estonia has acquired and deployed cutting-edge surveillance and monitoring equipment, including drones, land and water patrol vehicles, cameras, and radar systems. These investments ensure that the EU’s external border is safeguarded with the latest technology, enabling smoother flows of travellers entering and exiting the Schengen area while effectively preventing, detecting, and combating cross-border crime.
