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New Year Address by the President of the Republic to the Nation on 31 December 200331.12.2003
Dear People of Estonia,
Dear Fellow Countrymen,
The clock shows the last minutes of the year. The flow of time seems to stop for a moment as if giving us a chance to store beautiful moments passed by and, thereafter, to look with new hopes to the future. Each of us does it in his mind, but we do it also all together as a nation.
The year 2003 in many respects will mark the end of an epoch in Estonia, just like in life of several other countries and peoples too. The present turn of the year simultaneously denotes opening a door to a new era. I believe that at the moment the majority of us feel just like this - standing on the threshold of changes, facing new challenges.
Once the voters after years of preparations voted for Estonia's accession to the European Union, then it was a well-thought-through decision. This choice was definitely affected by the voters' wish to ensure their own economic sustainability and the security of our state.
The outcome of the referendum at the same time was a cultural self-determination, the sources of which can be traced back over centuries. But this decision was also evidence of our future faith and concord. The Estonian people earlier, too, when our purpose was to benefit the whole people and the state has demonstrated readiness to overcome divisions and to give up self-centredness.
The most beautiful symbol of the ending epoch was a gift given us by our mountaineers who for the first time ever brought the Estonian flag to the world's highest mountain peak. And just like Alar Sikk and Saulius Vilius from Mount Everest had a unique view of surrounding mountains, we today have a prospect of completely new possibilities opening in near future. Hence let us be ready for new duties and responsibilities! Through that we can also justify hopes and trust put in us by the rest of European nations.
We have made our way through the last dozen of years at an accelerated tempo, and in doing so we have attached importance to success, reforms and renewal. But to remain who we are while changing, we have to take along into tomorrow what has been created by the generations preceding us. A lot of Estonian cultural heritage is valuable not only for us ourselves, but also for the whole world, that, too, was confirmed in the ending year: for now, the culture of the Island of Kihnu and the tradition of our Song Festivals have been reckoned to belong to the most valuable part of the world's intangible cultural heritage. This should strengthen our self-confidence and simultaneously increase responsibility for carrying on our national culture.
The departing year was remarkable also for the reason that it became obvious more clearly than ever before that we need to change our way of thinking. Quite a few popular initiatives appeared to have the same features we can remember from times of our Singing Revolution 15 years ago. However, perhaps only now we have become aware of the need to have alongside representative democracy also participatory democracy. This is a sign that the slogan of the supreme power of state being vested in the people is becoming reality.
The increasing spread of understanding that our hitherto economy- and market-centred approach to development needs to be counterbalanced by more sociality indicates that the way we think is changing. Moreover, justice and equal opportunity are on the point of acquiring a real meaning. We were able to witness it during the debates around parental benefits and in the course of analysing the tensions that had led to our first major strike.
From now on it should be clear: Estonia must change gears. The change of gears derives from the comprehension that each undertaking has its price and effects, which can determine our developments for decades. At the same time, the change of gears does not mean slowing down the movement but rather selecting the right gear. Once we have made our engine match our possibilities, we wouldn't need to accelerate and experiment endlessly.
I am not too keen to speak today about the conclusions deriving from the Human Development Report brought out recently. The figures and judgements published in it tell a bitter truth about Estonia. But without facing the truth and talking honestly about our problems we would not be ready for renewals.
Research demonstrates that the level of inequality in Estonia is extraordinarily high, thus distinguishing us from both the EU Member States and the new member countries. Our thus-far economic growth has not helped to reduce poverty. On the contrary, great differences in income have engendered social conflict manifesting itself in deplorable behavioural deviations.
Yet the manifestations of our social problems are most painful in the areas connected with family and children. I would name here but the drastic fall in the fertility rate, thousands of school dropouts, and a general deterioration in health. Too many people are frustrated, they don't want to take notice or help their fellow human beings, and what is more distressing - they even lack attention to their own children.
Increasing awareness of these tendencies was the very reason why the first Estonian National Agreement was born in 2003. It was a breaking point in our development that signified our start toward civil society and more solidarity. The agreement actually recognizes that the Estonian state in essence is the home of our whole people. But home is the very place where all family members are taken equal care of and where moral duties and responsibilities predominate over individual self-interest.
For each family, a secure home is also its castle. Or the other way round: only a happy and healthy family can turn its domicile into a real home. A real home provides for child's development a secure and favourable environment, in which it learns to respect the values of life. Unfortunately, we must admit today that more than half of children born in Estonia are not lucky enough to have this kind of a home.
I would say that the time has come to reassess our values. The thus-far "Storm and Stress" period of nation-building and the mentality of making a quick buck should recede, and hopefully an approach valuing home and environment but, first of all, considerate to people, will emerge instead.
The worthier our life, the more respect Estonia will deserve in the European Union and in the whole world. In this regard, people's well-being and will to have a say in making decisions determining the fate of the whole nation form one of the cornerstones. Therefore, our hopes for new, more caring politics are warranted in all respects. However, the time passed since the March election has not yet been able to convince us that the power had come any closer to the people.
But Estonia's dignified existence as a democratic civilized nation would be inconceivable without changes in our social and family policy. I am referring not only to the fertility rate but also and, above all, to the need to create equal conditions for the development of all children born. I would like to reiterate over and over again: it is neither the sale of phosphorite nor the sale of oil shale that will help us to make it to the welfare society, but exclusively our people. This, however, means a relentless determination to care for these people and, on the other hand, a permanent obligation to learn.
Dear People,
In my capacity as Head of State, I would like to thank you for the optimism and patriotism you have demonstrated in the years gone by. Yet, as a human being, I thank you for every spark of joy you have shared with your loved ones. For what Estonia needs most is togetherness, and joyful healthy people likewise. So, let's care more for each other, let's hold together! That's how we can convince ourselves that Estonia is indeed the best country given us to live in.
A Happy New Year to all of us!
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