Ratas: Treaty of Tartu guarantor of Estonia's success and security
Prime Minister Jüri Ratas said in a speech given at the Monument of the Student-Soldier next to the Tallinn Secondary Science School today that the Treaty of Tartu can be proudly called one of the foundations of the Republic of Estonia and a guarantor of its success and security.
The PM said that the three-year jubilee period to mark 100 years of the Republic of Estonia has been awe-inspiring and grand but also a heartfelt time. The last in this long line of significant events was the signing of the Treaty of Tartu between the Republic of Estonia and Soviet Russia on the first hour of February 2.
"The Tartu Peace Treaty ended the Estonian War of Independence, immortalized our independence and opened the door for international recognition. The Republic of Estonia that will soon mark its 102nd anniversary is a confident, independence and successful home for us all. We have the good fortune of living in a country built on freedom, justice and the law," the PM said in his speech.
"That is why it is entirely fitting to take this moment to think back on the road that has brought us to this day. Our history is a shared experience that must be supported both during critical times and everyday life. History will never be done, and every generation asks this experience new questions that arise in their day. This applies also to the Treaty of Tartu," Ratas said.
The PM said that historical experience can be positive and joyous. But it can also be worrying, which is when it needs to be seen as a warning and a lesson so similar events could never happen again.
"The experience of the Treaty of Tartu is worth remembering in its entirety. We see that items to protect the interests of the Republic of Estonia included in the treaty where of the highest professional level. The wisdom of the authors lied not only in their expertise of legal nuances or international law. Their strengths included knowing local circumstances and hitting the hammer square on the head regarding Estonia's situation, concerns and needs," Ratas said in his speech.
"Even though the past century has altered our historical experience, and the significance of the Tartu Peace Treaty today is very different from when it was signed, we can still proudly refer to it as one of the foundations of the Republic of Estonia and a guarantor of our success and security today. I wish we would always cherish Estonia and look out for each other. That way we can make sure the coming centuries will also be heartfelt and festive," the PM said.
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Editor: Marcus Turovski
