National defence comprises more than just military defence. One can contribute to national defence by non-military means which strengthen the bond between a citizen and the state, help develop the defence will of the nation and therefore strengthen the principles of action and sovereignty of the state.

Non-profit organisations and citizen’s voluntary initiative have an important role to play in dissemination and development of the defence will. Wider dissemination of national defence related knowledge and skills can be organised by way of the National Defence Course at schools, Senior Courses in National Defence and support of non-profit organisations which deal with the development of national defence.

The Ministry of Defence supports and encourages the activities of intergovernmental organisations which strengthen national defence and the defence will. By involving citizens of the state to the national defence in wider sense, we strengthen the independence of Estonia and secure our freedom.

---

Cyber Security

It is an essential precondition for the securing of cyberspace that every operator of a computer, computer network or information system realises the personal responsibility of using the data and instruments of communication at his or her disposal in a purposeful and appropriate manner.

Estonia’s cyber security strategy seeks primarily to reduce the inherent vulnerabilities of cyberspace in the nation as a whole. This will be accomplished through the implementation of national action plans and through active international co-operation, and so will support the enhancement of cyber security in other countries as well.

In order to reduce the vulnerability of Estonia’s cyberspace and to better protect Estonian information systems, the Government has tasked the Ministry of Defence — in co-operation with the Ministry of Education and Research, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs — to develop a "Cyber Security Strategy for 2008–2013". The inter-agency committee tasked with developing the Strategy included also information security experts from the Estonian private sector.

Cyber Security Strategy (pdf) »