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The President of the Republic at the Opening Session of his Academic Council, on May 24, 2002, at Kadriorg24.05.2002
Most Honourable President of the Academy,
Distinguished Rectors,
Honourable Academicians and Professors,
Distinguished Scientists and Artists, Dear Colleagues,
First, I would like to express my sincere delight and thanks that, in spite of your heavy workload even so, you are present here today. And I do hope that you are willing and will be able to join in our academic company for many years ahead - in order to then note that our country is moving forward on just such a course which offers our citizens a safe future.
Estonia has been successful and admired. It is quite understandable that we like being successful and we wish to be it also in future. But we are facing a host of serious problems: decline in birthrate, life expectancy and level of education; increase in unemployment, drug abuse, suicide-rate and criminality, a severe split of our society - those named are only a part of the problems. Today Estonia needs your capability of scientific analysis and your visionary view in order to evaluate the situation, to make choices, and to move on.
The Academic Council was established for the purpose of advising the President on how to better fulfil his assignments arising from the Constitution. This body will neither duplicate the structures of the legislative and executive powers nor compete with them. However, through the President, it can submit its conclusions to the Riigikogu and the Government. Knowing thoroughly the extremely differing areas of life and science, you are able to evaluate objectively and without over-politicizing processes going on in those areas and, proceeding from this basis, to give recommendations for a well-balanced development of Estonia.
As you, for the most part, are leaders of scientific and educational establishments, I am confident you will secure the rear of our council with a very strong creative and scientific potential. Thus the message of this academic body will be strengthened and amplified further, and undoubtedly it will be met with an enthusiastic response in society. It is most essential that the largest possible part of our people participated in making choices of Estonia.
Let us be honest - so far, a big proportion of Estonian citizens have remained passive regarding the decision-making about vital issues concerning their own life, or they even have been supplanted. Just therefore the idea that Estonia, alongside with accords approved by the Parliament - i.e. the laws and the Constitution, needs a new social accord, is gaining all the more support.
For the first time, the necessity to reach a social accord was discussed by a Congress of Rural People already many years ago. The same idea has been put forward also by several entrepreneurs and the trade unions, and I myself have supported it to the best of my ability as well. This accord should lay down the uncompromising objectives and imperative compromises of our society. And here too, we are counting on your help!
In your persons, an immense scientific and intellectual potential have assembled here. In addition to the Academic Council, also the Roundtable of National Minorities is acting with the institution of president, and before long a Roundtable of Local Governments will meet. Furthermore - to make your work more efficient - I intend to call into being commissions that will analyse problems in accordance with separate development factors. Altogether, this way we should get a cohesive picture of what has happened in Estonia, what is going on, and what is lying ahead.
I hereby propose to form following commissions headed by Members of the Academic Council:
1. Commission on Science, Education and Culture; Chairman Professor Andres Keevallik;
2. Commission on Rural Life and Balanced Development; Chairman Professor Jüri Kann;
3. Commission on Economic Development; Chairman Professor Jüri Sepp;
4. Commission on Internal and National Security; Chairman Professor Eduard Raska;
5. Commission on Social Development; Chairman Professor Mikk Titma;
6. Commission on Development of Public Administration and Local Government; Chairman Professor Kalle Merusk.
In conclusion, I wish us all a lot of strength in our selfless work for the prosperity of Estonia!
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