Main narratives:
- General anti-government sentiments;
- Russophobic rhetoric;
- Accusations of anti-Semitism.
Overview:
Before the Christmas holidays, the situation on the Estonian-Russian border became more tense as many travellers gathered at the Narva checkpoint to cross the border, where very long queues formed and many people waited for hours in bad weather conditions. The pace of the checks was slow, as each traveller was subject to a total check in order not to allow prohibited or sanctioned goods from Estonia to Russia. Some locals even invented dubious schemes to trade with places in the line, which caused even more dissatisfaction. Many critical comments were made on social media about the government’s unwillingness to understand the travellers’ situation and improve conditions at the border crossing. Some of the comments speculated that the Estonian authorities don’t care about Russian speakers crossing the border into Russia and even deliberately do nothing to regulate the situation.
Another topic of the week was the controversy surrounding Märt Kalm, the Estonian Academy of Arts rector, who decided to cease collaboration with Israeli universities. This decision, influenced by pro-Palestinian sentiments in the academic community, triggered backlash from politicians, including Estonia’s Prime Minister Kristen Michal, and accusations of anti-Semitism from media representatives. Under mounting public and political pressure, Kalm reversed his decision, stating that it had received disproportionate attention. The situation underscored the challenges of navigating academic freedom amidst broader political and societal debates.
