| |
 | Speeches | | |
The President of the Republic on Victory Day on 23 June 2004 at Rakvere23.06.2004
Dear fellow countrymen,
President Meri, Chairwoman of the Riigikogu, Prime Minister,
Excellencies, Soldiers, and Members of the Kaitseliit,
The Estonian people celebrate this year's Victory Day, the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Võnnu, for the first time as a full-fledged Member of NATO and the European Union. Our efforts to reach these important landmarks were bolstered by great expectations and future belief, which have accompanied our people through the ages.
Also today's celebration is connected with good expectations. For isn't it so that an Estonian lights fire in order to feel safe and to gather strength. Today, people will soon gather around bonfires, lighting of which is going to be a great event in hundreds of villages and thousands of homes across Estonia. The Victory and Midsummer Eve Bonfire binds people together and gives them new hope.
Also the calendar spring just ended was rich in hopes. Our accession to the European Union and NATO was accompanied by belief in growing security, which these organisations offer to all of their members. One of the great goals of many generations - to ensure one's people and Fatherland a safe future and sense of security - became more realistic.
At today's Victory Day parade, our servicemen for the first time will march as soldiers of a NATO Member State. At the same time the flags of all NATO Member States are flying and our alliance partners are represented here, at Rakvere. We are willing to cooperate and greet them warmly.
Dear parade participants,
85 years ago to the day, the Estonian Army won an essential victory in the War of Independence. In the ranks of the then army, beside trained soldiers, also peasants, intellectuals, schoolboys and representatives of other nations having come to help the Estonians were fighting. Thus, the deciding victory at Võnnu was based on bravery deriving from patriotism as well as on aspirations for freedom and self-determination, which as fundamental values are shared by many peoples.
Estonia is grateful to its allies in the War of Independence. Yet, we are in a need of allies also today, and this not only because Estonia is a small country but also because each country and people can achieve its goals more successfully in collaboration with its partners. Through NATO, the potential of all its members is concentrated behind Estonia. That provides us a security guarantee unprecedented both in the history and today's world.
At the same time, for Estonia it is a matter of honour to fulfil its obligations as an ally and to contribute to the security of both the region and the world.
Our independence, people's prosperity and national defence take their rise from the population's defence will and the state's capability of basic defence. After the restoration of our independence, we began to build up our Defence Forces based on this notion. Compulsory military service has been and will remain a constituent part of our national defence since our Defence Forces only in this way can prepare necessary reserve units. It is vital to understand that keeping up capability of independent basic defence improves at once our military capabilities and sense of security and defence will of citizens.
At this point, I would like to emphasize the special role of the Defence League in upholding military readiness as well as in organising territorial defence and nurturing defence will. The youth organisations of the Defence League, Kodutütred and Noored Kotkad, are indispensable in patriotic education. At the same time, they are the largest youth organisations in Estonia, which are open to all children. Every year, thousands of children attend free summer camps of Noored Kotkad and Kodutütred. The primary attraction of the Defence League for young people is its voluntary and idealistic character as well as its leaders' personal example.
Nurturing defence will is an important task of the state, which should manifest itself in the syllabi of our schools, too. While raising our young people in patriotic spirit, we also give them an overview of the basics of statehood and of our common values supporting the latter. In this way, we prepare future defenders of our state, but in the first place, citizens who cherish their own state and independence.
Dear people,
On the anniversary of one of the War of Independence's victorious battles we should remember other historic milestones as well. Soon it will be 65 years since the conclusion of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact, 60 years since the bloody defensive battles at Sinimäed and ten years since the day when the occupying forces finally left Estonia. Among us, there are less and less people whose fate was determined by the events unleashed 65 years ago. From the venerable veterans of the War of Independence only Johannes Tark and Ants Ilus are still in our midst.
Let's pay homage to those who fought for the independence of Estonia and let's give support to those who at present defend their people either here, on home soil, or thousands of kilometres away from their homes.
A Happy Victory Day to all of us!
|
| |
|
vpk.ee
