TALLINN - Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal said in his speech marking the 105th anniversary of the Treaty of Tartu that unity and freedom must be safeguarded, as they are a nation's greatest treasures.
Michal commemorated the student soldiers who fell in the War of Independence at the Reaali Poiss monument in Tallinn and commended the school students gathered around the monument for not letting the memory of those who fought for Estonia's freedom to fade away.
"The Estonian War of Independence is primarily a story about the price of freedom. It was the struggle of a young nation for its future, in which the entire people contributed in the name of victory," Michal was quoted by government spokespeople as saying. "It was the student soldiers, young people, who set aside their everyday studies to take up arms for Estonia."
Michal recalled that the negotiations held 105 years ago between the Estonian and Soviet Russian peace delegations were extremely tense. On the one hand, there was a desire to end the hostilities as swiftly as possible, yet on the other hand, the newly won freedom and the sacrifices made could not be allowed to be undermined. Estonia secured a fair agreement. The prime minister emphasized that we must learn from the experiences of the past and honor the legacy of those who fought for Estonia.
"Freedom is not self-evident. It is a value that must be preserved, protected, and passed on," Michal said. "Today, we no longer have to take to the battlefield. However, we must ensure that Estonia remains a strong, united, and free-thinking nation. Our task is to keep alive the very values for which our War of Independence heroes fought. Let us cherish freedom, for it is Estonia's greatest treasure."
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