Foreign Ministry Statement

26.07.2012

The Foreign Ministry condemns the malicious and inadequate statement made by the Russian Embassy regarding the Sinimaed Hills memorial event. The memorial event taking place on 28 July is a civic initiative event held to commemorate those who fell in World War II, similar to the events held in many other countries. In Estonia all people have the right to commemorate those who fell in war.

It is regrettable when tragic historical events are used to create a false image of someone or something. Estonians, who fought on both sides during the battle in the Sinimaed Hills, lacked any connection with Nazi ideology. Like many other peoples in Europe, during World War II  the people of Estonia suffered under occupation by the criminal regimes of both the Soviet Union and national socialist Germany. Depicting this memorial event as a demonstration of neo-Nazism is deeply offensive to the Estonian people.

The Republic of Estonia has condemned the crimes of all the totalitarian regimes that have occupied Estonia and condemns any ideological manipulation regarding this subject.