Currency searches by Estonians in Narva and fines

Uhhh, I don’t see the problem with the Estonians. They’re just enforcing the law, right?

Hi Agnes,

You like it when the world is simple, huh? I don’t know if it’s actually a law, but the idea of stopping individual travelers from carrying the few currencies they need for their trip doesn’t sit well with me. It reminds me of Soviet methods during the Cold War. Shows how the wind changes.

Anyway, are you at the KZ?

Michel

This reminds me of Soviet methods during the Cold War.

No need to go to the Soviets...

It wasn’t possible to travel abroad with more than a certain amount in francs shortly after Mitterrand’s first election. I don’t remember exactly how much, but not much... 😏

I don’t know if it’s really a law

A European regulation, to be precise.

Since April 2022, Council Regulation (EU) 833/2014 prohibits the sale, supply, transfer, or export of euro-denominated banknotes — or in any other official currency of an EU Member State — to Russia or to any natural or legal person in Russia.

Those who sow war...

Yeah, it’s more about bureaucratic regulations than actual law.

"Those who sow war..."

Having traveled in post-Soviet Europe a bit more than you, I can tell you it’s not that simple.

Michel

Uhhh, I don’t see the problem with the Estonians. They’re just enforcing the law, right?

This currency measure isn’t a law—that is, there was no parliamentary process. It’s a decree issued by the European Commission.

Estonia decided to implement these searches. In Norway, there’s nothing, and in Poland, neither—at least not in early May.

It’s like when they put EU citizens on the sanctions list, with banking-level action: freezing accounts. Without any legal procedure.

There’s this Swiss citizen living in Belgium, Jacques Baud, whom French minister Barrot had put on that list, accusing him of being pro-Russian in his books. If they suspect a law is being broken, they indict, there’s a trial, examination, and judgment. Here? Nothing. The European Commission bypasses everything. That’s not democracy. It’s not the rule of law because there’s no legal process—just a prince’s decision. And at its core, it’s already an oppression of freedom of opinion. Because even if Baud *were* pro-Russian (which he’s not at all), that would still fall under his freedom of opinion. You’re allowed to agree with Russian policy. So the guy gets his accounts frozen. He’s retired and depends on his pension. He’s suddenly banned from withdrawing cash, using payment methods, can’t access his savings, his pension can’t be deposited into his account. How’s he supposed to live?

When you travel, it’s like being at home—you necessarily use your national currency, either by exchanging cash or indirectly (by using your bank card). You can’t avoid using your domestic currency to consume or pay bills. Traveling’s the same: it’s your money being debited from your account bit by bit, through background currency exchanges.

In this particular case, the United States doesn’t impose any restrictions on its currency. And Russian customs allow cash entry without declaration up to an equivalent of $10,000—that is, around 8,600 €. As those articles from the Estonian regime’s press mention, the Swedish woman searched the other day was declaring USD, and for that, nothing. Ridiculous.

I gave you the excerpt from the regulations.

Either you comply with them. Or you don’t comply with them.

You always have a choice, knowing there can be consequences.

In Estonia, for example...

I’d say you’ve got a grudge against Europe.

---/---

( In post-Soviet Eastern Europe...)

Hi,

Without wanting to weigh in on the substance of the debate, I just wanted to clarify that an EU regulation does have the force of law. https://european-union.europa.eu/institutions-law-budget/law/types-legislation_fr This one is a Council regulation, meaning it comes from the governments of the member states.

I gave you the excerpt from the regulations.

Either you comply with them. Or you don’t comply with them.

You always have a choice, knowing there can be consequences.

In Estonia, for example...

you’re hijacking a thread about travel info for a country you don’t even visit.

I’m posting this sourced info to warn people not to show up at the Estonian border with currencies from the EU+EEA zone (this includes NOK and CHF), but USD is fine. This reminder is important because people naturally assume it’s okay to carry their home currency for expenses—transport, accommodation, food—after exchanging it.

There’s a sign in the Estonian border post room before passport control stating you shouldn’t have euros, etc. But since it’s not intuitive, first-time travelers crossing the border probably don’t know, and once inside the border post, you still have to notice the signs.

The consequences for that German woman in March and that Swedish woman in May were simple: they were fined 280 € and 480 € respectively and had to leave the Estonian border post with their EUR and SEK to exchange them for USD at the nearby currency exchange. After that, they just had to return to the border with only dollars.

This is just a heads-up for travelers who might not be well-informed.

As for me, I don’t face any consequences—I don’t carry cash at all, I have a Russian bank account and card, but I’m not here to share my personal habits.

On that note, I’ll add that these EU decrees aren’t legitimate because they bypass parliamentary process and consultations. They violate the rule of law. But the EU has been violating principles for a while now, and some countries within it act arbitrarily. Something accepted in one country is condemned in another.

I wanted to clarify that a European regulation does indeed have the force of law. https://european-union.europa.eu/institutions-law-budget/law/types-legislation_fr This is a Council regulation, meaning it comes from the governments of the member states.

yeah, I know—laws bypassing parliamentary processes. Law isn’t reason or legitimacy. The EU isn’t a democratic entity, that’s well known. The USSR worked the same way: a Politburo and a Supreme Soviet, above multiple nationalities, enacted laws for everyone without consultation. Exactly the same process.

The Supreme Soviet decides without consulting anyone that plastic bottle caps must be attached to the neck of bottles, and all factories modify their production lines accordingly.

Anyway, for now, at the border with Russia, bring dollars—up to 10,000.

Hey, We can debate whether this rule, law, or whatever you want to call it is justified or not. But when you hide euros in your bra or the lining of your coat, it’s not by accident—you know what you’re doing is against the rules. Also, Norway isn’t part of the EU, so they don’t have to check for euros.

I think you're showing a lot of patience...🙁

I’m curious and like to stay informed about what’s happening around the world.

Russia used to be on my travel wishlist, especially the Trans-Siberian Railway.

But geopolitics has pushed that plan back to better days.

I chimed in because you made a value judgment: you called Estonians "pests."

You weren’t just sharing traveler info.

A post that isn’t factual inevitably sparks responses.

And those responses might not be what you like because they come from people who don’t share your views—but you’ve got to accept that.

I’d say you’ve got a grudge against Europe.

I’ve always been a proud European—enthusiastic, liberal, and federalist. And I also know, as E. Morin put it, that "people think in binary, dichotomous ways," that "complex thinking isn’t ingrained in education," and that we "keep teaching a compartmentalized and reductive way of thinking."

Michel

Against the Europe as it is.

(Leave the dead where they are)

Against Europe as it is.

Not federalist enough for me, indeed.

And I’ll quote whoever I want as long as the reference is relevant in context, which it is here.

Michel

And I also know, as E. Morin said, that "people think in binary, dichotomous ways," that "complex thinking isn't ingrained in education."

Evening! What do you think complex thinking is? And don’t forget, a member here is fed up with groupthink and feels like she’s talking to F. Lalanne 😎 [;]

Not federalist enough for me, indeed.

You’ve got to make up your mind about what you want in life... One minute you’re telling us Europe is a super authoritarian political space with no freedom, the next you’re saying this space isn’t federalist enough... So, which is it?

In short, if you need to bring devices to exchange, only take USD, and brand new ones..

Good evening, that’s actually a really bad idea. Avoid holding onto dollars—this currency is constantly being devalued, and soon we’ll have 1 euro for two dollars. Plus, with who we know in the White House, things aren’t about to improve. I’m convinced he’ll pressure the Fed to lower interest rates, which would be a disaster for the U.S. economy.

Hi,

I’d be happy to, but we’re going off on a tangent that’s not really travel-related.

To put it in one sentence, what you’re pointing out as an inconsistency can be explained by the fact that we’re not talking about the same kind of freedom: the English tradition of individual liberty versus the French, Rousseau-inspired tradition of theoretical, collective liberty.

Michel

Cite, recite, tacit, anthracite, felicitate, illicit to get back to the topic.😇

je repense à ceci après la semaine passée en promenade en Biélorussie et Russie (de retour hier), car en sortant de Lituanie vers la Biélorussie samedi dernier, pas de douane lituanienne et aucune question lors du contrôle de passeport.

l'absurdité de cette oukaze UE de ne pas emporter d'EUR et autres devises UE en Russie, est, en plus du fait que si on prend des dollars tout va bien, qu'en passant par une frontière non-UE, c'est vide de sens. Par exemple prendre un vol Belgrade-Moscou, les serbes se fichent de la consigne, de même les vols Turquie-Russie, les passages de frontière géorgienne, kazakhe, etc.

Vendredi je repassais la frontière Choumilkino-Louhaama, Russie-Estonie depuis Pskov, et au poste estonien, au guichet de contrôle passeport, noch einmal, la question à la çon posée en gringo yanqui: "wouaï wouère you in Reuchia?" moi: "pardon, français".

surréaliste: un policier de frontière estonien posant une question en gringo à un porteur de passeport français. Je comprendais qu'il parlât estonien, mais angliche 🤪 La question est bien sûr absurde aussi parce que ce n'est pas les oignons de l'UE de savoir pourquoi on voyage deci-delà hors du bidule UE. Et c'est hilarant lorsqu'on revient de Russie, car il suffit qu'ils posent la question au kagébé. Ah oui c'est vrai: ils ont coupé les ponts avec leurs sanctions. Bon après mon "pardon, français" souriant, l'estonien a soufflé dans son guichet. Il allait peut-être m'envoyer dans un goulague en Estonie. Ils ont peut-être des goulagues pour enfermer les citoyens de l'UE qui ne parlent pas angliche en Estonie. Faites gaffe!

Dans le sens Estonie->Russie si un agent estonien insiste, y compris en prenant son téléphone pour traduire en français un "wouère are you guoïngue in Rouchia?" la réponse qui va bien, avec le sourire, c'est "Kazakhstan" ou "Ouzbékistan". En effet la route la plus rapide passe par la Russie. Et c'est du plus bel effet, l'estonien fait un blocage, ça coupe les circuits dans la tête.