Land deal for Narva EDF base caught in local political standoff

While the Defense Ministry presses ahead, plans for a new Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) base in Narva may snag as local political infighting complicates a key land deal.

All political groups in Narva support the construction of the base, planned for the Kadastiku industrial area near a magnet factory on the outskirts.

The project requires about six hectares of land, but only a third is currently state-owned. The City of Narva has agreed to transfer additional property in a land swap with the state.

According to Mayor Katri Raik, the city government has already handled its share of the necessary formalities, but ongoing power disputes have clouded the next stage in the process.

"It's unclear whether we now have one city council, or City Council 1 and City Council 2," Raik said, "But both, and the city council as a whole, are capable of approving this."

Narva City Council chair Mihhail Stalnuhhin said a meeting will be held in the second half of June, with the EDF base on the agenda.

"Of course it will come, where else would it go!" he said. "Everyone gets that if we don't do the [land] swap and get the additional funding, they'll just come and take it anyway. If a swap is possible, we're swapping."

Stalnuhhin supporters have enough votes in the council to approve the deal, but a fragmented council and opposition majority are complicating the process.

Opposition members also back the new base but refuse to recognize current city leadership, leaving the outcome of the planned city council meeting unclear.

Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur (Reform) said the ministry will not wait.

"We'll definitely start building a container-based facility this year to quickly get a temporary solution in place," Pevkur said. "We're also launching a construction procurement even before the council decides. In any case, this will not stop our plans."

With a projected cost of €15 million, the EDF's new Narva base is slated to be completed by the end of next year.