ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to discuss the security policy and prospects of Estonia with emphasis being put on the political and military aspects of security. Estonia was thus first among the Soviet republics to promulgate the supremacy of its own laws over the all-Union ones. Historical memories of the unsuccessful attempts of creating regional alliances in the inter-war period have not entirely been evaded when formulating the contemporary Estonian security policy. Living in the Russian-language dominated environment the Estonian-language requirements and the laws on citizenship and language are perceived as illogical demands by authorities exercising political pressure. The enlargement policy of NATO and especially the Baltic States’ own recognition that they will be excluded from any rapid entry to the Atlantic Alliance most likely means that Estonian officials will recognise the growing importance of other security aspects besides the military one and consider more seriously “soft security” options.
