The memory of the people who perished through deportation is sacred, the leaders wrote. "We share the pain and suffering of those who lost their near and dear ones but made it back to home themselves regardless of all, but whose faith in justice had been seriously shaken," they say. Rüütel, Kallas and Savi stated Estonia managed to restore statehood and was now seeking to achieve goals that were only within the powers of nation acting in consort in the name of common aims. "We cannot build our future on sufferings of the past, but neither must we ever forget them," they said. "Only if we defend our independent state and the democratic principles it rests on can we withstand attempts to turn back forward-looking developments." "Our nation has paid a heavy price for freedom and democracy," the leaders said. "May we know how to remember and commemorate, may we know how to defend freedom and democracy every day and everywhere."
On the Day of Mourning, national flags were hoisted and commemorative events were held across the country. The memorial service that was held at Toompea was also attended by the US Ambassador Joseph M. DeThomas.
The commission for the investigation of Estonia's human losses during the World War II has published a book listing over 8,200 names of the victims during the 1940-1941 Soviet and 1941-1944 Nazi occupations.
The book states, among other facts that 415 Jewish citizens of Estonia were killed by the Soviets and 940 by the Nazis. Commission leader Vello Salo admitted that the lists are preliminary as the commission had no access to Russian or German archives.