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The President of the Republic is in the County of Valga
23.09.2002


President Arnold Rüütel and Mrs Ingrid Rüütel At the Upper Secondary School of TõrvaPresident Arnold Rüütel and Mrs Ingrid Rüütel today started their two-day tour of Valga County by visiting the rural municipality of Põdrala.
On the farm of Tiiu and Ants Taul, the guests were welcomed by the host playing self-made bagpipes. Municipality Mayor Aivar Uibu highlighted the Tauls' household as preservers of our native culture and promoters of tourism. The President appreciated these kind of activities carried out in parallel to the traditional farming very highly: "Preservation of national values is like growing seed grain to be afterwards sown in remoter regions."

At the Upper Secondary School of Tõrva, the school's development plan and the education system and investment plans of the county were presented to the President and Mrs Ingrid Rüütel. As noted by the County Governor, Rein Randver, it was a must that building of educational establishments be regarded as strategic investing and the priorities of the state budget also be set based on this insight. Unfortunately, the Head of State had to learn that this principle had not been followed in funding an extention to the Secondary School of Tõrva.

On Puide Farm in the municipality of Hummuli, the farmer, Mati Nurm, provided the President with an overview of how it was in Estonian conditions possible to effectively produce grain and to get good crops. According to the farmer, that was not easy for wild oat spreading from untended neighbouring fields could easily destroy the seed-grower's work. The farmer suggested that the law should place an obligation on owners either to till their arable land or to rent it out. The municipality leaders of Hummuli told the President that there was a shortage of skilled labour in the countryside. Valga County's entrepreneurs met by the President and Mrs Ingrid Rüütel in the Castle of Sangaste in the afternoon voiced the same concern.

President Arnold Rüütel at the Otepää ski museumEarly in the evening, the Presidential Couple met the local government leaders of Otepää and, together with them, visited the Church of Otepää, the local ski museum and the Room of the Estonian Flag. In the garden of the church, the President planted an oak tree. In the Ski Museum of Tehvandi, the President had a talk with skiers Andrus Veerpalu, Jaak Mae, Raul Olle and Aivar Rehemaa taking interest in what more could be done to improve the training conditions at Otepää. Thereafter, having visited the Upper Secondary School of Otepää, the Presidential Couple headed for Pühajärve where the owner of the local hotel, Tiit Vähi, outlined the development plans of Pühajärve holiday complex.

Tomorrow, the Head of State will continue his tour of Valga County by visiting industrial plants.


Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, September 23, 2002


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