Eesti in brief - 2011-08-25

  • 2011-08-24

Edgar Savisaar, chairman of Estonia’s largest opposition party, the Estonian Center Party, said that he has repeatedly been offered to run for the presidency, but says that he does not intend to do so, reports National Broadcasting. “I have usually said that I am too young to run for the presidency and maybe that’s the case,” said Savisaar, who celebrated his 61st birthday this May. Savisaar explained that the Center Party lent its backing to independent candidate Indrek Tarand at the upcoming presidential elections, claiming that a candidate has to have wider support than just one party’s. “I tend to believe the assurance of Tarand that he has ten extra votes in his pocket. He has been a leader of the Estonian right-wing forces long enough for this claim to contain some truth,” said Savisaar.

Tens of thousands of Estonians gathered on Aug.20 for the grand concert Song of Freedom at the Tallinn Song Festival grounds to mark Estonia celebrating the 20th anniversary of restoring independence, reports Postimees. An estimated 50,000-70,000 people gathered for the marathon event that featured Estonian and foreign singers and bands, speeches and people singing runic songs together. The event brought together, besides Estonian ministers and the president, also parliament speakers of seven states, several foreign ministers, politicians from different states who supported Estonia 20 years ago. President Toomas Hendrik Ilves said in his speech that Estonia has in 20 years passed a road that many other states have taken a whole lifetime to pass. “Very few generations have had a chance of creating their state into a brand new state,” said Ilves. “Let us be proud of what we have reached thus far,” he said, adding that today the majority of us still remember what that feeling means and thus, also know what we don’t want back.