ABSTRACT
The most important precondition for the elaboration of the nationality legislation in this period was the collapse of the Soviet Union and the political independence of Estonia. There would be a continuation of the citizenship from the Republic of Estonia in 1940 while later immigrants would only obtain citizenship by naturalization. The problem with maintaining the principle of continuity in the citizenship legislation was, however, that a restoration of the Law on Citizenship from 1938 implied very gentle possibilities for non-Estonians to become Estonian citizens. The Law on Citizenship was - along with the Law on Aliens - among the most debated laws in Estonia and gave rise to indignation and bitterness among the non-Estonian population. The proposals from the Russian Democratic Movement in Estonia were never implemented. However, Estonian authorities decided that the residing non-Estonians in reality were Russian citizens.
