Staff ReportsEstonia just shook the Brussels tree and a few rotten apples fell out. Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna met with Orlando Gutiérrez‑Boronat, coordinator of the Assembly of the Cuban Resistance, and publicly urged the European Union to rethink its policy toward Cuba. That short meeting in Tallinn is the new test of whether Europe will keep funding hollow projects or finally stand with real Cuba‑based dissidents pushing for freedom.
Tallinn meeting puts EU policy under the microscope
Tsahkna didn’t mince words. The Estonian Foreign Ministry quoted him saying, “The Cuban regime does not respect the fundamental rights of its citizens and has shown no willingness whatsoever to embrace change.” He called for stronger engagement with Cuba’s democratic opposition and argued the EU must weigh third countries’ attitudes toward international law and Russia’s aggression when shaping relations. Gutiérrez‑Boronat, on a Europe tour, pressed the same point: stop financing the Cuban state and back civil society instead.
Why EU money to Cuba is suddenly controversial
The European Union currently operates a Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement with Cuba and funds roughly 80 projects worth about EUR 155 million. Those projects are said to focus on agriculture, renewable energy and economic modernisation. But critics — now joined by Estonia and a growing number of MEPs — say the money often ends up strengthening a regime that imprisons peaceful protesters and silences free speech. If projects don’t help Cuban citizens, why is the EU still writing checks?
Geopolitics, sanctions, and a restive Parliament
This debate is not just about aid. Tallinn and European lawmakers point to Cuba’s growing ties with Russia and Belarus and to Cuba’s public support for Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. The European Parliament has amplified the pressure: MEPs approved a resolution condemning repression and calling for sanctions and a suspension of the cooperation agreement. The vote tally underscored the split in Brussels — the resolution passed with 283 yeas, 199 nays, and 85 abstentions — and cited over 1,200 political prisoners as part of its case.
What should happen next
Estonia did the right thing by raising this in public and meeting with real opposition figures. Now the EU must stop hiding behind good intentions and show results. That means a real review of the PDCA, a hard look at where EUR 155 million actually goes, and concrete steps to back Cuban civil society rather than enrich state cronies. If Brussels refuses, smaller, freedom‑loving capitals like Tallinn will keep calling the shots — and they should. The Cuban people deserve more than polite projects and empty promises; they deserve policies that actually pressure a regime that won’t change on its own.
