Poland hopes for an ease in clashes in Estonia

The Polish government on Saturday hoped that clashes in Estonia sparked by the removal of a Soviet-era war memorial would calm down.

Poland expressed hope in a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry, saying that the legacy of history once again cast a cloud over the ties between nations and ethnic groups.

The Soviet-era war memorial, situated at the Tynismyagi square in the Estonian capital of Tallinn, was pulled down overnight on Thursday night as ordered by the Estonian government, triggering strong protests in the capital and clashes between the police and protesters.

Some 153 people have reportedly been injured and 800 protestors have been detained by the police. One protester, a Russian citizen, was stabbed during the riots and died after being rushed to hospital.

The Russian government strongly opposed the actions. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called the removal "unacceptable," while the Federation Council, Russia's upper house of parliament, on Friday called for breaking off diplomatic ties with Estonia.

In response, Estonia postponed the relocation of the remains of the Soviet soldiers who died in 1944. The relocation was part of the dismantlement plan.

Source: Xinhua