Anti-Immigrant Eurosceptic Worldview in Estonia: a Comparison of Russian-Speaking and Estonian-Speaking Communities

Abstract

This article analyzes the transformation of the attitude of the Russian-speaking and Estonian-speaking communities of Estonia towards the reception of refugees from the 1990s until the present day. A comparison is made of the attitude towards immigrants of various origins (African, Asian, Ukrainian refugees, entrants from Russia) by ethnic Estonians with the perception of them by local Russian-speaking residents of this Baltic state. The author examines the reasons for the negative and positive perception of Estonians towards immigrants of various origins. It is noted that there is a direct connection between the current perception of immigrants in Estonia and the historical past of this country. The paper describes the sharp increase in Euroscepticism in Estonia after the start of the European migration crisis in 2015, as well as the serious joint opposition of the state’s authorities and its residents to the refugee distribution quotas imposed by the European Commission. In addition to the similarities in the approaches of the two largest communities on the issue of refugees, the author also identified a number of significant differences on this topic, which is sensitive for all Estonians. The paper concludes that the refugee crisis and anti-immigrant Eurosceptic worldview have largely united ethnic Russians and Estonians living in Estonia in the face of a “common threat”. It is also justified that the present warm and hospitable attitude of ethnic Estonians towards Ukrainian refugees in the medium term may be replaced by “fatigue” and apathy towards them.