MEP horrified at events in Tallinn
Latvian
MEP Tatjana Zdanoka - whose party represents the
country's substantial Russian speaking community -
has expressed her outrage at events overnight in
Tallinn, Estonia, where work is underway to
dismantle and move a monument to the liberation of
Tallinn from the Nazis and excavate a war grave.
Latvian MEP Tatjana Zdanoka
Estonian
authorities are taking down and moving the monument
to Soviet soldiers who liberated Tallinn from the
Nazis and reburying the remains of Soviet soldiers
which lie nearby. There is anger amongst the Russian
speaking community in the Baltic at the removal of a
memorial to Red Army soldiers died liberating Europe
from fascism.
The monument to the liberation of Tallinn from the
Nazis
Ms
Zdanoka is particularly concerned at reports of
Estonian police brutality towards protestors at the
site of the monument. There are reports of beatings,
with one person having been hospitalised and several
arrested. There are also reports that protestors and
two journalists travelling from Riga were denied
entry to Estonia.
The MEP
has raised the matter in the European Parliament.
Speaking
in the European Parliament in Strasbourg this week,
Tatjana Zdanoka said:
"I
should like to draw your attention to the scandalous
process in Tallinn. The Estonian authorities are
preparing to remove from the city centre the graves
of soldiers who died in battle liberating Tallinn
from the fascist occupiers in September 1944 and the
monument to those soldiers.
"Exonerating
those Estonians who fought on the Nazi side during
World War II while ignoring the heroism of those who
sacrificed their lives in order to defeat Hitler and
his local allies is a part of present-day state
politics. Unfortunately, a similar policy is being
applied in my country, Latvia.
"I'm
protesting against such dangerous politics, not only
personally but also on behalf of a group of 37
representatives of Russian-speakers NGO's and
Russian media from 15 EU Member States - including
Estonia - which is visiting Parliament."
The MEP
- a member of the Parliament's Human Rights Sub
Committee - added:
"I
unreservedly condemn the actions of the Estonian
police. It is horrifying to think that this can be
allowed to happen in Europe and the EU should hold
Estonia to account. People are understandably very
angry about what's going on and many - both Russian
speakers and non-Russian speakers - see this as a
dishonourable and unnecessary provocation. Has the
Estonian government got nothing better to do than
dig up war graves?"
Sent
by e-mail from Israel
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