Estonia considers ban on purchase of sex services on Swedish model

A proposal that would make it illegal to purchase sex services is getting widespread support in the Estonian Parliament. A call for such a ban, which was made by the Social Democrats, has already won support among MPs of Estonia's largest Parliamentary group, the Res Publica party, as well as the Centre Party. About 60% of the customers of Estonia's brothels are foreigners - mainly Finns and Swedes. "We cannot allow people who are classified as criminals in Sweden and Finland to feel that they are free in this country", said the initiator of the proposal, Social Democratic MP Marianne Mikko. "The question is one of solidarity." (The purchase of sex services is illegal in Sweden, but not in Finland. However, such a move has been proposed for Finland as well.) A similar idea was put forward by Social Affairs Minister Marko Pomerants on Wednesday. The Parliamentary group of Pomerants' party, Res Publica, considered the proposal to ban sex purchases, but it did not come out with a statement on Wednesday. Another large party in the Estonian Parliament, the Centre Party, came out in favour of such a move.