Infrastructure Minister Kuldar Leis says the government is planning an amendment to skip the environmental review blocking the Saatse Boot bypass project.

Over the weekend, the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) closed the section of road between Värska and Saatse that crosses Russian territory after an armed Russian unit appeared on the route.

The Saatse Boot is a sliver of land in Setomaa Municipality where Russian territory juts deep into Estonia. Estonia is permitted to use the road that passes through the area as long as vehicles do not stop while transiting.

The Värska-Ulitina road is the only paved route into Saatse. Alternatives involve a detour of several dozen kilometers via gravel roads or a narrow forest path.

In May 2024, the government approved the construction of a bypass and the Transport Administration began preliminary design work that same year. Funding for construction was allocated in 2025.

However, construction was delayed after the Environmental Board ruled in May 2025 that a full environmental impact assessment was needed. Protected plant species and other environmental assets had been discovered in the area.

The environmental assessment is currently scheduled for completion in August 2026. Only then can the Transport Administration begin final design work on the new road.

Infrastructure Minister Kuldar Leis (Reform) told ERR's "Uudis+" radio program on Monday (October 12) that the weekend incident highlighted vulnerabilities and government members have begun informal talks on how to expedite a solution.

Transport Administration Director General Priit Sauk previously told Müller that the agency cannot proceed with construction until the required environmental assessment is completed and official environmental clearance is granted -- a process that can only be bypassed through a political decision.

Leis said one potential solution would be amending environmental protection laws to allow the bypass to be built in the interest of national security.

"Until now, we've treated the Saatse Boot bypass as a regular road construction project. Now, the position is that we'll treat it as construction required for national security, in which case environmental and social impact assessments would not be needed. That would require Riigikogu approval," Leis said.

Under the current plan, the road would be completed by fall 2027. But with a legal amendment, it could be finished by fall 2026, Leis noted. "We still need to complete design work and put the project out to bid, but it could be done in a year," he added.

The government will formally discuss the proposed legal change at its Thursday meeting.

"Although these are still unofficial talks among ministers, there is a clear consensus that we need to resolve this issue quickly," Leis said.

At the meeting, the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) will also present a security assessment, which the government will use to decide whether the road crossing can be reopened.

Saatse Boot access regulated by 2003 protocol

On May 20, 2003, Estonian and Russian officials signed a protocol governing activity in the Saatse Boot area.

The document states that maintaining the established border regime is based on the "principles of good will."

It includes specific provisions reiterating the longstanding rules for passing through the area -- namely, a ban on stopping or traveling on foot -- and outlines procedures to follow in the event a vehicle must stop due to an emergency.

According to information on the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) website, signs posted at the entry points to the area warn drivers that they are entering the territory of the Russian Federation (RF) and that stopping or walking through the one-kilometer stretch is prohibited.

The PPA notes that vehicles may pass through RF territory without stopping. For this purpose, motorcycles, mopeds and bicycles (excluding scooters) are considered vehicles. Pedestrian passage is not permitted.

The Russian border guard has the right to patrol the area and monitor compliance with these rules, the PPA adds, noting that under international law, the RF is entitled to stop vehicles traveling through its territory.

In the event a vehicle must stop for technical reasons, the driver must remain inside and immediately notify the Saatse border post. The vehicle occupants must wait in the car until further instructions are received, the PPA states.

Hardly a new problem

Issues concerning the Estonia-Russia state border have remained unresolved since the early 1990s.

A treaty signed in 2005 included an agreement between the two countries to eliminate the Saatse Boot. The Estonian parliament ratified the treaty that same year, but Russia refused to do so.

On February 18, 2014, then Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov signed a new border treaty. However, the agreement has yet to enter into force, as neither country's parliament has ratified it.

Government may waive bureaucracy to speed up Saatse Boot bypass, minister says