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Estonia

Estonia is the northernmost of the three Baltic States and covers 17,462 square miles, making it slightly smaller than West Virginia. Its population of about 1.2 million is the smallest of the Baltic States. Despite its long occupation by the Soviet Union, today’s Estonia has found a clear path to freedom and independence and has, since the fall of the USSR, made great progress in rejoining the rest of Europe. Since regaining its independence, Estonia has held numerous free and fair elections and developed a high-tech economy that has earned it the title of Europe’s Silicon Valley. Estonia is a member of both NATO and the EU. Its security concerns are in large part defined by its relationship and proximity to Russia, and Russia’s legacy as successor to the Soviet Union. This includes Estonia’s own large ethnic Russian minority (about 25 percent of the population), which has complained of marginalization and discrimination by the Estonian-speaking majority. Estonians have voiced concerns that Russia may attempt to manipulate that minority to undermine Estonian sovereignty or use it as an excuse for future intervention, even militarily. During the early years of Estonia’s independence, members of the Helsinki Commission repeatedly traveled to the country to observe elections and encourage their Estonian counterparts to embrace OSCE commitments. The Commission has also held numerous hearings to review Estonia’s progress in the areas of media freedom, human rights, and protection of minorities. In July 2019, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Estonia, Kristjan Prikk, testified during the Commission’s first international field hearing in Gdansk, Poland, on the topic of Baltic Sea regional security.
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Press Releases

BRIEFING – Contesting Russia: Lessons from Cen...

Oct 23, 2024

Cannon House Office Building, Room 210 Stream live here For years, the countries of Central & Eastern Europe have been a critical warning system for the rest of Europe, sounding […]

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Articles

35 Years After the Baltic Way: Regional Unity in the...

Aug 23, 2024

On August 23, 1989, approximately two million people created a human chain from Tallinn to Vilnius to peacefully demonstrate their resistance to Soviet occupation. Held on the 50th anniversary of […]

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Hearings

European Energy Security Post-Russia

Jun 07, 2022

Russia is weaponizing energy to prolong its unlawful invasion of Ukraine. Unfortunately, the sanctions that Europe and the United States have put in place have not been enough to curb […]

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Press Releases

European Energy Security Focus of Upcoming Helsinki ...

Jun 02, 2022

WASHINGTON—The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, today announced the following hearing: EUROPEAN ENERGY SECURITY POST-RUSSIA Tuesday, June 7, 2022 2:30 p.m. Watch […]

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Digests

Helsinki Commission Digital Digest March 2022

Mar 31, 2022

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Hearings

“Game-Changer”

Mar 17, 2022

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has destroyed the international framework that has kept the peace in Europe since 1945, at a time when Baltic states Lithuania, Estonia, and […]

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Press Releases

Helsinki Commission Recognizes Key Contributions fro...

Mar 08, 2022

WASHINGTON—In light of Russia’s continued criminal war on the peaceful citizens of Ukraine, Helsinki Commission Chairman Sen. Ben Cardin (MD), Co-Chairman Rep. Steve Cohen (TN-09), Ranking Member Sen. Roger Wicker […]

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Press Releases

Foreign Affairs Committee Chairs of Lithuania, Eston...

Mar 07, 2022

WASHINGTON—The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, today announced the following hearing: “GAME-CHANGER” The Baltics Under Pressure Thursday, March 17, 2022 10:00 a.m. […]

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Digests

Helsinki Commission Summer 2021 Digital Digest

Aug 02, 2021

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Statements

Ranking Member Joe Wilson on July 2021 Congressional...

Jul 21, 2021

Mr. Speaker, this month, I was grateful to participate in a Congressional delegation of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly led by Senator Roger Wicker and Senator Ben Cardin. It was inspiring […]

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Statements

Cardin and Wicker Discuss July 2021 Congressional De...

Jul 21, 2021

Mr. CARDIN. Madam President, I take this time to talk about the work of the U.S. Helsinki Commission in a recent opportunity we had to participate in the OSCE Parliamentary […]

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Press Releases

Helsinki Commission Delegation Advances Priority Iss...

Jul 15, 2021

WASHINGTON—Helsinki Commission Chairman Sen. Ben Cardin (MD) and Ranking Member Sen. Roger Wicker (MS) last week led a U.S. delegation to the 2021 OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (PA) Annual Session in […]

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