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The President of the Republic At the 87th Anniversary of the Republic of Estonia On February 24, 2005, at the Estonia Theatre24.02.2005
Dear people of Estonia!
Dear fellow countrymen!
Excellencies!
Ladies and gentlemen!
On the Day of Independence we express our gratitude and respect to all those whose activities have facilitated the birth and growth of the Republic of Estonia, but also to the people who so selflessly protected the state in the War of Independence. Ants Ilus is the only fighter still alive among those who had fought in that war, and we wish him happiness and health.
Proclaimed today 87 years ago Republic of Estonia was established on the inextinguishable right of the people to national self-determination. In order to protect that irrefutable right, a legal order was established, the main cornerstone of which was the Tartu Peace Treaty.
The Tartu Peace Treaty opened the possibility to recognise our state as a subject of international law, it guaranteed the continuity of the Republic of Estonia also after Estonia was occupied and annexed in 1940. In the course of restoration of independence, the Supreme Soviet, acting as a people's representative body of that time, was relying on the validity of the Peace Treaty when the national independence of Estonia was confirmed on August 20, 1991.
Now we have heard an opinion that the Tartu Peace Treaty would lose its validity if we fixed the border by a new border agreement with Russia. Herewith, I would like to stress that the core of the Tartu Peace Treaty is the recognition of Estonia's independence by Russia "forever". It is irresponsible to diminish the role of the Tartu Peace Treaty's in the legal foundation of our state. It would be the same as removing a cornerstone from the foundation of already finished building.
The border treaty with Russia, which has been waiting to be signed for more than five years, had been previously negotiated during seven years, and it reflects the realties that had happened in the world during the last half a century. The conclusion of the treaty requires good will from both sides, which Estonia has repeatedly demonstrated, and it is an important foundation for relations between states.
The transition period is over and our state functions more consistently and is more credible. The main efforts during our transition period were focused on the European Union and NATO, but the status of membership cannot be a goal for its own sake. It is rather a tool or an interim goal in the development of the state "which shall protect internal and external peace, and is a pledge to present and future generations for their social progress and welfare". This constitutional goal has not been changed.
Our uppermost priorities and urgent tasks that we cannot postpone any longer induce new common interim goals: to place the man, as the most valuable resource of the society, in the centre of the state policy. Thereat, implementation of measures targeted to increase birth rate is not enough. We need that our tax system and life environment were more family-friendly. Good education, hobby activities, work and living place, and medical services have to be accessible to everyone. In a balanced society none of the development aspects should be contradistinguished with the others or be favoured over the others.
Every person and every nation would like to have assurance about the future, and wishes to have better security, higher quality of life, and better development prospects. We have every reason for optimism, considering the speed of Estonia's development, our economic growth or that our citizens have become more demanding of what concerns their health, subsistence and living environment
At the same time, we tend to value people only according to their successfulness, and we do not care enough for those who seemingly do not measure up to our standards. In recent years, sociologists have repeatedly pointed out that taking the ability to cope with one's subsistence as a starting point would be exceptional in Europe, where concern for others, solidarity, social and mental quality of life are emphasised.
Also in Estonia, if we want that it will reach the society's scale of value, we have to emphasise through our state policy that the economic growth is a prerequisite for welfare, but the goal has to be the quality of life in its material, social as well as in mental dimensions.
Our nation is small and the care for each person's development possibilities should be taken for granted. Strategic reorganisation of educational system was one of the main pre-election promises of the politicians who are presently in the government, and it is also a significant part of the coalition agreement. Nevertheless, we cannot see sufficient improvement of the situation yet. We have been engaged in elaborating schemes of financing but we have not yet reached to the content of education and the role and responsibility of the state and local governments.
Our priority is that every child and young person could have good and equal opportunities to get education and to develop one's abilities. It is also important that the state policies would guarantee better quality of life. This could decrease the emigration of our intellectuals and other people who are indispensable for our own society - why should they leave if the life in Estonia was good in every respect.
I hope that this understanding, instead of being a slogan, would soon find its manifestation in policy designing and in our everyday life. Beside our own national interests we have to share responsibility for the future of Europe and the consequences of global processes. Contradistinguishing "we" and "they" would not give any reason or justification for our neglect to act. Neither can we claim unsubstantiated prerogatives, try to outsmart our partners, or hope to reap profit while balancing at the edge of permissibility.
A year ago, here in the same hall, I told that with the accession to NATO and the European Union, Estonia would enter into historically entirely new reality, where the reliability and soundness of our policy, and the self-esteem of our state and people would be our main capital. Today we should assess whether we have managed to increase that capital or has it withered instead.
Unfortunately, the impression is that the professional performance of our rescue workers in the area of catastrophe or the efficiency of our soldiers during foreign missions are left in shadow by the scandalous news about the grain theft, the loss of classified documents and the sugar business.
Last year, I had a reason to warn against deeds, which might lead to the alienation of from their own state. Today, we have to admit that we have more people than ever before who are disappointed in politics. About a half of the people would not know, and about one fifth would not want to prefer any of the parties to the others - this is a thought-provoking signal for our politicians.
Honest politics means not only respecting your electors and their will, but also consistent fulfilment of given promises. The coalition partners take on an obligation to cooperate and jointly share the responsibility of governing. It is natural to assume that they are ready to do that during the full term of four years in office. The attitude that there is nothing wrong when the governments are changing frequently is shortsighted.
At the same time, credible politics relies on the support of the electorate. It is a big responsibility to justify that trust, and a mature politician has to be able to assess whether he or she is capable to do that. Deepening disappointment conceals danger for the reliability of the state as well as for our security, not to mention the direct damage to the image of politicians and to the state power in the eyes of our citizens.
Next autumn for the first time we elect also the councils of local governments for a term of four years. This is a very important event as the local government is a link between the state and its citizens, and pursuing general interests it takes local differences into consideration. A well-organised local government provides social security, but at the same time it is a development supporting business environment, and the basis for society's democratic organisation.
The forthcoming pre-election discussions should concentrate on the topics that would meet the expectations of the people and also on the changes, which have to be designed and implemented in next four years. It would be appropriate to examine whether we have used all the possibilities what the state has for the development of local governments. And we should ask whether the state and the local governments are partners who complement each other in organising life and solving problems for people.
Dear listeners!
The full-fledged membership in NATO and the European Union has expanded the range of international obligations for Estonia. Within the European Union we share a common responsibility for shaping and implementing the community's policies. Being a NATO member we have to contribute to common defence, and beside of defending our own state, we have to be ready to defend the other member states.
There is no doubt that the national defence is an area where goals, management and responsibility are interlinked and have to be defined very clearly and for a long time ahead. Our defence capability and our reliability in the eyes of our partners depend on it. It is good that it is increasingly more understood in Estonia.
The natural catastrophe, which raged at the end of the last year in Southern-Asia and the following humanitarian operation, clearly proved the existence our direct global ties. Also the deepening of such problems as AIDS, millions of hungry people, and extermination of rain forests should not be overlooked and tolerated. Those are the problems, which have impact on the entire mankind - consequently also on our wellbeing and future.
Having a new international status, Estonia has now active relations also with the states, which used to be not in focus of our attention before. Thereat, we are developing not only bilateral relations, but in common interests of the EU and NATO promote also multilateral strategic cooperation. As a country that has successfully implemented its reforms, we can support the other nations with whom we have shared the same fate.
Estonia welcomed the democratic changes in Ukraine and Georgia. We are also supporting the aspirations to democracy of other nations. We have an obligation to stand for the preservation of identity and wellbeing of our kindred peoples: the Maris, the Mordvins, the Komis and the others.
This year, 60 years will pass since the victory over Nazism, which was a misanthropic totalitarian regime, and the end of World War II that caused enormous human losses. This will be commemorated in Moscow and in democratic states where the victory over Nazism is perceived as victory of democracy over tyranny.
Estonia shares common values with the other nations of Europe and feels joy and sadness over the same things. The cooperation between the states is founded on common values, which are collectively created and developed, and are also protected together.
At the same time it is our obligation to remind to other nations that the end of the war did not restore the independence of Estonians, as well as of Latvians and Lithuanians. Instead of that, though one violent power was replaced by another, our subjugation lasted for a half a century more. Nevertheless, we must not talk about our grave destiny with self-pity, or demanding compassion from the others. The Estonian state and society are strong enough to stand erectly and tirelessly talk about the truth. We could be successful, if we looked for and relied upon what we have in common with other nations and respected also their history.
We can only welcome a nation-wide public discussion on whether Estonia should celebrate the victory over Fascism in Moscow. This is a sign, which shows that civil society has become stronger, and the same concerns the discussions on the Baltic unity.
Maybe somewhere it is really thought or even hoped that the political cooperation between the Baltic states is history. But in reality it is not so. The situation today requires from the Baltic states the same kind of determination and support of each other as we had 10-15 years ago. The same way as then, also now we can draw the attention of the world public to the fact that unlike the case of the most of Europe, for Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians the year 1945 did not bring liberation. I can assure you that the leaders of the Baltic states are well aware of that responsibility.
I stressed the same viewpoint at my recent meeting with the President of Russia. Our discussion has caused various speculations, some of that has been wishful thinking, but there has also been criticism. I believe that both sides showed willingness to move on and to reduce the tension in the relations between our two countries.
Being one of the partners in that process, Estonia has to stay calm and preserve the ability to analyse, and not to miss the forest for the trees. The politicians, the officials as well as the journalist have the responsibility to take care that a favourable environment for the continuation of the dialogue would be maintained. First of all we have to develop among ourselves a discussion that accepts and respects different opinions. If we could do that, we might achieve much more in our foreign policy.
Dear people!
We have a right and also a responsibility to be self-critical - even on the days of celebration. In general, we have managed rather well and increasingly more citizens are looking to future with optimism. Having completed a period of extensive reforms we have more time for analyses and systematic planning. At the same time, we have to reach a new level, as all aspects of our life have become more international.
Ever-growing integration into the European economic space and international competitiveness will be the engine of Estonia's economic growth also in future. An important stage of the integration is smooth introduction of the euro so that our economy could get maximum benefit from it.
Estonia's lower than expected capacity to use the EU provided funds should be taken as a warning signal. It is a result of insufficient preparation work and shortage of time, but also a result of mere indolence. From now on, we have to catch up on lost time, but also to use all development opportunities created by the EU support funds as efficiently as possible. This requires that we timely prepared good projects that could really help to promote life in Estonia.
At the same time those project should fit into a wholesome strategy, which relies on what has been achieved already. Let us use our already existing experience when considering possible new development models. It is time to analyse different aspects of our tax policy and their impact on the development of the society both in shorter and in longer perspective. But making our political choices we have to bear in mind that the development of economic, social and environmental indicators has to be balanced and we must guarantee fundamental rights to all people.
In the European Union the keywords related to the enhancement of wellbeing are employment, enterprisingness and innovation. We certainly have to handle those three goals together, as enterprisingness is a prerequisite to innovation as well as to employment. Modernisation of technology causes layoff of workers, this, in its turn, generates a necessity to create new jobs. A precondition of extensive innovation is the flexibility of labour market and higher readiness of people to work. The latter depends on many things, such as the person's health, education, enterprisingness, values and motivation.
A very actual discussion topic in Estonia concern the issues of labour force and ability to work, as our population is diminishing and in next several decades the ageing process will be one of the quickest in Europe At the same time, reliable solutions are neither simple nor quick. We already can hear our entrepreneurs complaining that they cannot find skilled labour, or even non-skilled manual workers. From the viewpoint of the enterprise the hiring of foreign migrant workers seems to be a convenient solution, but from the viewpoint of the whole society, this is a situation we cannot accept.
First of all we should provide for the Estonian people a possibility to work - the young people who are not employed at present, but also people of pension age if they wish to work. Usually people retire prematurely when they cannot find work or their health does not allow them to work. Therefore, I would like to emphasise that healthy lifestyle and good working environment are as important as the enhancement of working skills and knowledge.
Dear people!
Talking about those things I wanted to draw your attention to the fact that wellbeing can be created thanks to the efforts made by the state, local governments and employers, but also by our own efforts. Trying to reach harmony here, takes us towards a well functioning state.
The credibility of the state has an internal as well as an external dimension, and it depends on fulfilling one's obligations to the partners and to one's own citizens. I wish that Estonia could be credible in the eyes of her partners as well as her own people.
I congratulate all of you on the birthday of the Republic of Estonia!
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