Estonia, Financial Services, Legislation, Transport

"I am glad that the government supported my proposal to exempt these people from the repayment obligation, in accordance with the Consular Act," Foreign Minister Sven Mikser said at the press conference after the meeting of the government.

The government approved a draft order filed by the finance minister to allocate 122,565.34 euros to the Foreign Ministry from the government's contingency reserve to cover the financial aid related expenses incurred in relation to the consular case pertaining to the freeing of the ship guards in India.

The Estonian citizens were given unsecured financial aid for covering their accommodation and living costs during their freedom on bail and also after the court decision made on Nov. 27, 2017, which satisfied their appeal. Aid was given also to pay the men's medical bills, Mikser said.

After the men were freed, Foreign Minister Sven Mikser on Dec. 6 said that he is about to make a proposal to refrain from reclaiming from the Estonian ship guards the money that the government spent to aid them during the more than four years that they had to spend in India.

According to a regulation adopted by the foreign minister on the basis of the Consular Act in 2009, the decision to abandon reclaiming financial aid granted by the ministry to people in distress abroad is legally within the jurisdiction of the foreign minister.