Ermistu defense park and ammunition depot alarm local residents – ERR

Ermistu defense park and ammunition depot alarm local residents  ERR

Residents near Estonia's largest planned defense industry park are worried about safety, noise and environmental impact, particularly from an adjacent ammunition depot planned. The Ermistu development covers 204 hectares of previously forested land near Pärnu. The ammunition depot will cover a further 100 or more hectares;, Defense Ministry says officials have met residents, with their safety being a priority. The planning process has already been met with legal challenges, however. One local resident, Külly Selberg, who lives in nearby Päraküla, said to "Aktuaalne kaamera": "If this entire complex is hit as a result of an accident or an attack, what will happen and what will be left of us?" Selberg said no one had instructed villagers on how to act in the event of danger; the Ministry of Defense says officials have met residents in the surrounding towns of Tõstamaa, Audru and Pärnu.

Indrek Sirp, special adviser on defense industry development at the ministry, said ammunition production is subject to extremely strict regulations. "Safety is the number one priority. Safety must be ensured, as must security, which is why the area will be guarded and protected," Sirp said. Sufficient separation between storage facilities, for instance, means these must also be located sufficiently far apart. There are a total of 63 households within a 3km radius of the planned park. Liina