Estonia adopts law enabling it to use frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine

Alar Karis, President of Estonia, has signed into law the bill which enables Estonia to use Russian assets frozen under sanctions to compensate Ukraine for damage caused by the war; the bill was passed by the Estonian parliament in mid-May.

Source: ERR, Estonia’s public broadcaster

Details: Karis said that under the new law, only the property of those "whose connection with the commission or facilitation of an unlawful act is established and sufficiently proven" can be confiscated and used to compensate for damages.

"So the fact that someone’s assets have been frozen under international sanctions is not a sufficient reason to seize those assets," Karis said.

The Estonian president added that the law should be interpreted as saying that those who took an active part in Russia’s military aggression or violated the rules and customs of war will have their property confiscated.

Karis acknowledged that the confiscation of property in connection with participation in military aggression may raise legal issues.

"Regardless of what one may think of the solution chosen by Estonia, there is no doubt that we must find effective ways to guarantee the right of victims of aggression to receive compensation from those responsible for causing damage," Karis said.

The law, which was passed by 65 members of the Riigikogu (the Estonian parliament) on 15 May, allows the property of people and businesses that contributed to Russia's illegal activities to be frozen under sanctions as an advance payment for the damage that Russia must compensate Ukraine for.

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