Latvian carrier Ecolines has obtained a license for routes to Moscow
Latvian bus company Ecolines has received a license to operate a route between Tallinn and Moscow. The Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture of Estonia issued the corresponding permit due to the absence of bans in European sanctions and national legislation. This was reported by ERR, according to the portal PromPolitInform.
The carrier’s buses depart from Tallinn Bus Station daily and also operate trips to Saint Petersburg. Most transport services related to russia, including flights and freight transport, are prohibited in the European Union, but bus services have not fallen under the restrictions.
Processing route permits
Andres Ruubas, Head of Public Transport Department at the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture, explained the procedure for approving such lines. An entrepreneur submits an application to the agency, which transfers the documents to the russian side via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for inclusion in the registry.
Upon receiving an extract from the russian registry of permits, the Estonian ministry issues a license to the operator to begin operations. Bus companies have the right to deliver passengers directly to their destination in russia or to the border.
Border crossing specifics
Due to full-scale controls at the border, buses often stop for extended periods. Carriers mostly take passengers to the Luhamaa checkpoint, where people cross the border on foot, and on the russian side, they are picked up by other buses from partner companies.
The ministry noted that it is impossible to refuse to issue such permits because Estonia has not closed its border with russia. There are no sanctions regarding the free movement of people in the European Union, so there are no legal grounds to block the lines.
Illustrative photo: Pjotr Mahhonin / CC BY-SA 4.0
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