28/09/2015 (Agence Europe) - Europeans welcome release of Estonian police officer, Eston Kohver. The spokesperson to the High Representative of the EU, Federica Mogherini, said on Saturday 26 September that the EU was “pleased” that the Estonian police officer, “who was abducted by Russian Security Services on Estonian territory a year ago”, on 5 September 2014, was released that same day, and that he had returned home and was reunited with his family. “Throughout his detention, the EU, in close cooperation with Estonia, was calling for his immediate release and for respect of due process”, the spokesperson reiterated (see EUROPE 11374). On Twitter, the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, also welcomed the release of the police officer, stating that he was “delighted” that he had been able to return his family in Estonia. A number of European ministers, such as Britain's David Lidington, also welcomed Kohver's release. “But he should never have been abducted and imprisoned in the first place”, Lidington stressed. Kohver was freed as part of an exchange of imprisoned spies between Russian and Estonia. (CG)