President: State of Estonia led only from parlt hall

  • 2019-04-23
  • BNS/TBT Staff

TALLINN - The state of Estonia is led from no other place than the hall of the parliament and each composition of the Riigikogu is responsible for the freedom and human rights of us all, President Kersti Kaljulaid said when speaking at a ceremonial sitting to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Riigikogu.

"There are no structures in the state of Estonia that are not subject to legislative and parliamentary control. There are no sub-currents in the state of Estonia that are directed in a non-transparent manner, in the interests of someone other than the people of Estonia. The state of Estonia is led from no other place than this hall," the head of state said in parliament. "Any argument to the contrary, no matter who is referred to as the 'real guide', is an attempt to evade one's responsibility," Kaljulaid said.

The president emphasized that the parliament holds the responsibility for the freedom and human rights of us all and this has been the case already since the Constituent Assembly. "This principles have been clearly written down also in our current Constitution and are living in our Estonia today. More correctly, this is why our Estonia today is living as an independent country and also in the hearts of our people, that we associate these freedoms with the state of Estonia," Kaljulaid said.

The president cited the paragraph on the fundamental rights of citizens in the first Estonian Constitution adopted by the Constituent Assembly, according to which "there can be no public law privileges and disadvantages that depend on birth, belief, gender, status or nationality".

"The parliament is a place where representatives of the people find the most reasonable common ground as we all have different wishes and opinions and our common ground can only be found during intelligent discussions," Kaljulaid said, adding that this process is complex and time-consuming.

"The people of Estonia are free. The entrepreneurs of Estonia are free. The journalists of Estonia are free. The creative people of Estonia are free. The members of Estonia's Riigikogu are free. Truly free, along with responsibility for every one of their words, actions and presses of button," the president said.