Russian Bronze Statue in Estonia

[Stan]

Tervist Kaur !
Ei tea miks, aga ma ju arvansingi, et olete Eestlane

A slightly refreshing approach. I am often used as a perfect example of integration. But then, I take my life and job seriously and my collegues at work expect me to pull my own weight, even if it means in another language and culture.

Regards, Stan

[Stan]

http://www.citypaper.ee/paper/articles/1511/

On a television near you.

This week, Estonia’s parliament deliberates a draft law which would allow penal measures to be applied when symbols of the Soviet Union, Communist Party, and Hitler-era Germany are used knowingly to disturb public order. The Russians, obviously, are not pleased, since the law would seem to enable the immediate removal of The Bronze Soldier monument.

This otta be good ! It will also be a problem; Estonia's 3 chapters of skinheads will have to do something with all those tattoos (from head-to-toe), clothing embellished with "ESTLAND" (Former German military embroidered sleeve emblems from the "era" in question and SS (Super Stock of course).

According to the Russian newspaper, Kommersant, Russian President Vladimir Putin, when meeting the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, remarked: “Aah, Estonia! Estonia wants to win a seat in the front row and gain some sort of advantages on that basis.” Putin reminded Merkel of the German government’s decision to remove the monument of the liberator from Berlin’s Treptow Park, a decision which was not carried out.

Does this mean we have to wait for Germany to go (move bronze) first ?

Regards, Stan

[kaur]

Comment by Jamestown 26.01.2007.

http://www.jamestown.org/edm/article...cle_id=2371841

[Stan]

The analogy is inapposite, however, on at least two counts. Germany, a country defeated in war, has accepted this particular symbol of one of the victorious powers in the country’s capital. Estonia, however, did not take part in any war, being simply occupied by two powers successively, the second occupation lasting almost half-century. Second, the notion that Germany’s defeat actually liberated the country from totalitarianism is a notion accepted and internalized by German society, whereas the Soviet occupation -- of which the Soviet Soldier’s Tallinn monument is the conspicuous symbol -- cemented totalitarian rule over Estonia and her Baltic neighbors.

(BNS, Interfax, January 17 through 25; see EDM, January 11)

Hommikust !
Kaur, Thanks for the link. Good detailed information and exposes the typical Russian view. Funny, Vasily Yakimenko threatens to send 300 of "these upstanding Russians" to guard the bronze wonder. He should have done that earlier in the year, then we could have used the police and fences in other parts of Estonia where they were more needed.

Regards, Stan

[kaur]

Tere, Stan!

It's interesting that Russian side is not understanding the issue correctly and overreacting because of that. They think that Estonian side is trying to destroy the statue. No, Estonian the side is talking about moving the statue to the appropriate site, for example military cemetary.

Treptow park with it's Soviet memorial is not located in the middle of Berlin and Jamestown commentary said correctly that there is no analogy between Germany and Russia, concerning history.

Here is my extreme analogy. Soviet soldiers statue in the centre of Estonia's capital, it's like leaving Saddam's statue standing in Sadr city and saying that Saddam's tribe has right to come there to mourn. How does this sound?

[Stan]

Tere Kaur !
Well, we know what happened to Sadam's statue (an M88 crew assisted the removal), and if we wait much longer, the Estonian public will do the same, or maybe even worse.

Have you been to Narva lately ? (The city of Narva is an Estonian/Russian border town complete with old fortresses, cannons and the like).

Somebody put lenin's statue in the farthest eastern corner of the Estonian fortress with his hand high pointing to Russia. In the corner like a bad child in kindergarten !

I had Navy and Army deminers with me, asking about Lenin's location as if he was supposed to be in the corner.

I couldn't answer because I was laughing too much (had few Saku brews as well )

regards, Stan

[Stan]

Jan 30, 2007, By TBT staff
http://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/17224/

Russian foreign minister opposes sanctions against Estonia

TALLINN - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he is against imposing sanctions against Estonia in response to plans to relocate the Soviet Bronze Soldier monument.
"Our reaction must be robust and firm, and be aimed at mobilizing public opinion and the political position of European countries in the first place, in order to not permit this kind of blasphemous attitude toward the memory of those who fought against fascism," Interfax news agency quoted the Russian minister as saying.
"However, I would not resort to reacting with sanctions. We are not dependent on Estonia to any such degree as to fear sanctions. Simply we need to put our actions into correlation with the position of those constructive, sensible forces that exist in Estonia," Lavrov said.

This sounds somewhat strange for us here at ground zero, being they had just threatened sanctions and now a reversal ?

Regards, Stan