The Estonian government has taken part in a week-long NATO Crisis Management Exercise (CMX16) that consisted of five government sessions led by the prime minister and two National Defence Council sessions, led by the president. The participants of the exercise were the NATO headquarters, NATO Command Structure, allied capitals and Permanent Representations to NATO.
NATO’s Readiness Action Plan, which was adopted at the Wales Summit and ensures the alliance’s readiness to respond swiftly and firmly to new security challenges, played an important part in the scenario of the exercise.
“Although Estonia is not under military threat, it is vital that NATO regularly exercises procedures and decision-making mechanisms, how to cooperate between allied capitals, NATO headquarters and NATO Command Structure,” prime minister Taavi Rõivas said. According to him, it’s also important that Estonia conducted the exercise based on principles of comprehensive national defence, all ministries participated and that the exercise was conducted in a realistic manner.
As of 2014, the Estonian government has conducted seven strategic level exercises. The CMX16 exercise took place from 9-16 March and it was organised for the twentieth time since 1992.
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Cover: Stenbock House, the seat of Estonian government.
