Documentary on Ülo Nugis dedicated to Estonia's 30th anniversary

A documentary dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the restoration of Estonia's independence on Ülo Nugis (1944-2011), who was chairman of the final Supreme Soviet in Estonia, will premiere on Wednesday.

The director of the documentary "Director of the Riigikogu" produced by Delfi is Toomas Lepp and the screenwriter is Hannes Rumm.

The tandem between Lepa and Rummu was put together by Delfi's editor-in-chief Urmo Soonvald, Hannes Rumm said.

Nugis had an interesting personality, Rumm added, promising that this is also apparent in the film. "Through the story of Ülo Nugis, we have also tried to tell the story of regaining independence," he added.

Rumm said that Nugis always focused on work, he didn't talk about his personal life in public. That's why it's interesting to discover his personal side, such as carrying a gun, Rumm explained.

"When I made the film, I was convinced that the restoration of independence was a collective achievement," Rumm added.

Electing Nugis to be the chairman of the Supreme Council was a dramatic process. Former MEP and MP Marju Lauristin, who was applying for the same position, did not take missing out lightly, but later they worked effectively together, Rumm said.

Under the leadership of Nugis, the Supreme Council took on the form of a real, national parliament, a functioning legislature, Rumm noted. Among other things, plans for ownership reform began there.

It is difficult to assess the leadership qualities of Nugis, as the director of various Soviet-era organizations in retrospect, however. One exception is reports from the employees of Estoplast, who Rumm interviewed for the film, and who said they never heard him acting arrogantly or yelling at his employees - not an unheard-of scenario in the Soviet time or indeed following independence.

Hannes Rumm's biography of Ülo Nugis is also coming out soon. The manuscript will be completed by the end of the summer and the book should be published by Christmas, Rumm told ERR.

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Editor: Roberta Vaino

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