Government lays a wreath at the momument

Subject: Government lays a wreath at the momument Sun May 13, 2007 6:26 pm

Government lays a wreath at the momument to Unknown Soldier at the cemetery of the Estonian Defence Forces

Tallinn, 8 May 2007 –The members of the Government of the Republic and the diplomats of foreign embassies residing in Estonia commemorated the victims of WWII by laying a wreath at the momument to Unknown Soldier at the cemetery of the Estonian defence Forces in Tallinn.

Prime Minister, Mr. Andrus Ansip, Minister of Population, Ms. Urve Palo, and Minister of Defence, Mr. Jaak Aaviksoo, attended the ceremony. Around twenty ambassadors and diplomats residing in Estonia were also present. No speeches were made during the ceremony.

The cemetery of the Estonian Defence Forces established in Tallinn in 1887 was first used for burying the soldiers of tsarist Russia. During the German occupation in 1918 there were also German soldiers buried at this cemetery. Between the Estonian War of Independence and WWII the cemetery of the Estonian Defence Forces was used for burying Estonian soldiers. At this cemetery rest also the British soldiers who gave their lives in the War of Independence. During the Soviet occupation the authorities destroyed hundreds of graves that are currently being restored.

The celebration of the end of WWII started this morning when the Government laid a wreath to the Holocaust memorial at Klooga, thereby condemning all those who committed crimes against humanity and organised mass repressions in Estonia.

A wreath will be laid also to the memorial square at Maarjamäe for those who fought in defence of Estonia.

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