95th anniversary of Russia-Estonia peace treaty marked
Estonian tricolor flags fly today until sundown to mark the 95th anniversary of the signing of the Tartu Peace Treaty between Estonia and what was then Soviet Russia.
The treaty marked the end of the 1918-1920 War of Independence, in which Estonia and its allies were victorious, and treaty protocols specified the path of the border between the countries.
A memorial ceremony was held in Tartu today featuring appearances by city officials, student representatives and military historians.
The event in Tallinn gets under way at 11:30 at the Victory Monument, with military brass in attendance. Chief of defense Maj. Gen. Riho Terras will lay the wreath at the monument. Prime Minister Taavi Rõivas will be on hand at 17:00 for a ceremony at war hero Julius Kuperjanov's grave. A delegation of officials will then travel on to another historic site in Tartu, the current Jaan Poska Gümnaasium where the treaty was signed.
At 19:00 there will be an official reception at the Vanemuine Concert Hall with the head of state presiding. The event will be carried live by ETV.
In the treaty, Russia recognized the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Estonia for ever and unconditionally.
In an opinion piece written on the occasion of February 2, Diplomaatia editor Erki Bahovski reflected that Russia's policy is "to sign treaties when weak and renege on them when it is strong."
The marking of the treaty coincides with a current revival to ratify a new border treaty in the respective Russian and Estonian legislatures.
Editor: K. Rikken