TALLINN. Feb 7 (Interfax) - Estonia and Russia are lowering the level of their diplomatic relations on Tuesday, with charge d'affaires mutually representing their countries.
In line with the decisions of the two foreign ministries, Russian Ambassador to Estonia Vladimir Lipayev and Estonian Ambassador to Russia Margus Laidre are wrapping up their missions and returning home on Tuesday.
On January 11, Estonia states that Russia, on a parity basis, should cut the number of its employees at the embassy in Tallinn by February 1, 2023 to match the number of Estonia's members of diplomatic staff and members of administrative and technical staff in Moscow. Until lately, Estonia has had eight members of diplomatic staff and 15 members of administrative, technical and service staff in Moscow. The Russian embassy in Tallinn has had 21 members of diplomatic staff and 23 other members of the mission.
In this respect, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on January 23 it was lowering its diplomatic presence in Estonia to the level of charge d'affaires and told Estonian Ambassador Margus Laidre to leave Russia by February 7, 2023. Russian Ambassador to Estonia Vladimir Lipayev is also supposed to return to Russia by this date.
Moscow put all responsibility for these developments in Russian-Estonian relations on Tallinn.
Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu said at the time that his country would take into account Russia's decision to reduce diplomatic presence and would act based on the parity principle.
At the same time, Estonia said it intended to retain diplomatic relations with Russia.
Reinsalu called on the other European Union countries to follow his country's example and set the number of employees at each other's diplomatic missions on a parity basis. As of present, only Latvia has taken steps analogous to Estonia's, and its decision will take effect on February 24.