In March of this year, parliamentary elections were held in Estonia, and one of the hot topics in the pre-election debates was the fate of Ida-Virum or Idaviru County in the north-east of the country. Politicians promised huge support to this region during the pre-election rush. The question is – will their words come true?
There is an opinion that in the past Ida-Viruma “fed” Estonia, but not with agricultural products: the main industrial complexes of the republic were concentrated here. However, many of them were closed in the early 2000s, causing a mass exodus of local residents to other regions.
Oil shale is still mined in the north-east of Estonia. A power plant, a chemical plant and a metallurgical plant operate here. Although new large companies have not opened in this region for a long time, the construction of a magnet factory near Narva has started and the first specialists are being recruited. However, there is no hope of finding many employees here in Estonia – they will be invited from Germany, Great Britain and other countries. It is planned that over time the company will provide jobs for up to a thousand residents of the region.
Vivikonna: life without heating, pharmacy, shops and school
In a half-hour drive west from the resort town of Narva-Jēsū, which is located on the border with Russia, you can reach two villages considered abandoned – Sirgala and Vīvikonna. As the local mines ceased to operate, these villages gradually died out. Only 30-40 people have remained from the former three thousand inhabitants. At first, the migration was not massive. About five years ago, the steam heating was turned off, and then those who were still hoping for something left their apartments.
The private sector is living its own life, but most of the two-story houses are in a dilapidated condition. In the best case, 2-3 people live in each of them. At the same time, when you enter Vyvikonna, you immediately see a modern sports and playground. But behind it, as if one world ends and another begins – ruins and bushes. In the spring, there are not even puddles, but ponds – you can fall into the water up to your knees. A high-quality asphalted road leads past the village. Meanwhile, in Vívikonna itself, the asphalt has long been cracked and in some places covered with moss, like in a forest.
Olga, a woman in her fifties, stands in the yard of a dilapidated house next to a home-made corral. In it, several goats are gnawing on sticks and bleating – their kids have recently run away. However, Olga asks not to photograph her or the animals her son gave her. Why not take photos? Because when journalists or bloggers come, they interview her and a couple of other grandmothers who are already known throughout the country. “And that’s bad,” she says in a calm voice. “They write about us, and then others come here to chase ghosts. Yes, ghosts!” now Olga is already outraged. “Are you kidding me? There used to be a thriving village here, what ghosts?” “They come, break the windows and make noise. The police don’t even respond to calls anymore, we have to drive them out ourselves.” Indeed, on the broken windows you can read inscriptions in Russian: “Stаt! Will hit!” On the other hand, “Private territory” is written on the trees in Estonian and Russian, but this does not stop lovers of exoticism and abandoned houses.
Only slums and memories remain of the former school, pharmacy, bookstore, root shop, hospital and canteen. “It was a mining village that was well supplied,” sighs Olga. “People came here from all over the area, we had such good shops.” Now you have to take a shuttle bus to the neighboring town of Sillame for food. Or you have to wait for relatives to bring it.
It used to be not easy to get an apartment here. Olga worked as a janitor for 13 years to get her own apartment. She was born here and also gave birth to her children. They don’t live in Vyvikonna, but they often visit here. Olga appreciates the local nature, for example, she goes mushroom picking right next to the house in her slippers. The woman complains that her favorite poplar alley has already been cut down. She would never leave, and if the house is demolished and offered to live in another village or town, she will go to her summer house. Although it is not suitable for living, it is better to be there than to leave, Olga thinks.
Other survivors agree with her, such as 83-year-old Svetlana, who has lived in Vyvikonna since 1967. She came out of her apartment on the second floor of the building, which does not look inhabited, in a warm sweater and a scarf. Svetlana is not worried about the fact that she has to light the stove in winter, that there is neither a hospital nor a store nearby. There is electricity and internet connection. The only thing they ask is not to touch them.
Sirgala: the house is awaiting demolition and the only resident
This spring, the Estonian government has allocated money so that the municipalities in Ida-Virum could demolish the empty apartment buildings. In July, local authorities plan to apply for this money. However, funding for all buildings is not enough – there are “ghost houses” not only in these two settlements, but also in Narva and Kohtla-Jarve. After receiving the subsidies, some of the post-apocalyptic-looking houses will be removed. However, the authorities do not specify what will be done with the rest of the residents, taking into account their desire to stay here.
In the nearby, also abandoned village of Sirgala, the population is even smaller, according to the only man whom the journalist managed to find – only ten people. Our interlocutor refused to get to know us, saying that everyone knows him anyway, but he doesn’t need new acquaintances.
In the summer, some local residents return to the village – to their small gardens, which are set up near their homes. However, there is silence all around. Curtains are still visible in the windows, a carpet has been laid in the yard, as if someone had started to clean it, but ran home for a while, remembering that soup was boiling on the stove, and would be right back. But no, no one is coming back. Not for the carpet, not for the old rusty bicycle, not for the toys that are thrown around the front door. Maybe one of the dozen or so permanent residents of the “ghost village” will come down for an unfinished bottle of vodka sitting on a bench next to a jar of pickles?
One house is being renovated by the Methodist church – a rehabilitation center for alcoholics will be opened here in autumn.
The Ministry of Defense of Estonia plans to expand the Sirgala training ground next to the two villages – this news appeared in the media in February. If everything goes as planned, these two villages will be in a restrictive two-kilometer zone where there will be a lot of noise during military exercises. Therefore, the ministry does not recommend building houses in this area. In addition, part of the forest, which the remaining residents of Viviconn are so happy about, will be cut down for the landfill.
Meanwhile, the municipality plans to sell the land in Vyvikonna for small sums of money for private construction after the demolition of the houses. Because no one will buy it for a lot of money – there is no infrastructure in populated areas. However, modern lanterns, which were installed with the money of European funds, are working. However, it should be noted that there are also five-story khrushchevkas in Sirgala, the demolition of which costs more, and there are more of them than in Vyvikonna. Therefore, the municipality cannot say how long this process will take.
2023-07-02 02:15:29
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