Both Moscow and Estonia's ethnic-Russian minority oppose the legislation.
They say it is aimed mainly at one monument to Soviet soldiers in central Tallinn. Lawmakers are scheduled to vote on the bill's final reading on February 15.
(dpa)
Russians In The Former Soviet Union
RUSSIANS OUTSIDE OF RUSSIA: A total of some 30 million ethnic Russians remain in the republics of the former Soviet Union, including large diasporas in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Belarus. This historical legacy has often been a source of tension between Russia and its neighbors. "Support for the rights of compatriots abroad is a crucial goal," Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his April 2005 state-of-the-nation address. "It cannot be subject to a diplomatic or political bargaining. Those who do not respect, observe, or ensure human rights have no right to demand that human rights be respected by others."
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