As we celebrate the 87th anniversary of freedom and self determination, the 60th anniversary of another historical milepost causes anguish and a political dilemma for Estonians.

“Foreign countries to celebrate Soviet Union’s victory” a headline bannered in a recent English edition of Pravda. Exhibiting the exuberant self-confidence of the triumphant, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs castigated those who have a different interpretation of WWII’s outcome as “lacking respect for the day sacred to the entire civilized world”.

At issue is the 9th of May, the 60th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s “victory over Nazism and the liberation of Eastern Europe”. Invited are world leaders of NATO and EU countries and countries formerly occupied by the USSR, major Asian nations and established international organizations.

By Moscow’s reckoning it would be unmitigated heresy to suggest that May 9th not only marks the defeat of Nazism but also the consolidation of Soviet occupied and controlled Eastern Europe and the continuation of a tyrannical regime, the ferocity of which far exceeded Nazi brutality both in quantity and longevity. For the Kremlin the Soviets were liberators, not occupiers.

Emotional debate surrounds the question of Baltic leaders’ attendance in Moscow May 9th. Some say that boycotting the celebrations bears the risk of isolation from European allies, downplaying the defeat of Nazism and of being labeled extreme Russophobes.


Others see the upcoming May 9th summit as a cleverly planned propaganda event, meant to gather international accolades, to deflect attention from the resurgence of autocracy by governmentally well-placed ex-KGB, to gain a belated blessing for the “liberation” of half of Europe and to cause dissension among invitees - especially Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

We can take into account Russia’s unprovoked antagonistic rhetoric and insistent diplomatic pressure on Estonia and its neighbours. This makes it a difficult decision to accept the invitation and also maintain that relations with Russia are normal. Some Westerners however see attendance as an attempt at fence-mending with Russia.

On this 87th freedom anniversary, when we celebrate a hard-fought independence and commemorate the casualties of nearly 50 years of foreign occupation, Russia’s May 9th event cannot explicitly or implicitly exonerate Russia of historic culpability, cannot acknowledge that the occupation was legal, justified and freely consented.

To act otherwise would abrogate the whole idea of celebrating liberty and independence.

Wishing you a thoughtful independence day,

LAAS LEIVAT

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