Dear residents of Narva,

On the one hand, the birthday of the Republic of Estonia is a reason to speak about our country and at the same time not forget that today the people of Narva can feel a special pride, because a new day for Estonia dawns here first. Estonia begins here, Europe begins here and freedom begins here.

But today is also a reason to speak about the fact that freedom is not a gift you can place on a bookshelf. Freedom is usually not given; it is won, and preserving it requires tireless work from us.

On this same topic, three years ago Narva schoolgirl Karin-Annika Luga, now a student at the University of Tartu, wrote that "freedom must be stood up for, it must be protected and valued," because "the state and its freedom ultimately belong to us all."

And so we come to everyone and to each of you. I am pleased to see more and more residents of Narva on the winter morning of Estonia's Independence Day at Hermann Castle watching the blue, black and white flag rise. It is your flag, my flag, the flag of all of us.

In these colors we see the values on which I believe Estonia rests: freedom and democracy, diligence and perseverance, safety and security, education and culture.

I would also like to say tolerance and openness, yet we still need to practice the skill of politely listening to differing opinions and exercising appropriate patience. I hope that young people can support older generations in this.

In general, it is young people who determine and carry Estonia's future. The same is true in Narva. Those who go elsewhere to study and return. Young people who come here from other parts of Estonia to live and work because Narva is such a great place.

Young people who walk through the doors of the Ida-Virumaa Vocational Education Center and, studying in Estonian, learn a profession that will provide for them and their families in Narva, as industry is once again growing here. Young people who study at the University of Tartu's Narva College or at the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences, which once again reminds us that Narva is a city of education.

As minister of the interior, I of course look to my own field of governance and feel proud of all the police officers, border guards, rescue workers, emergency response organizers and volunteers who here on the border of freedom safeguard the security of Estonia and, in fact, of the entire European Union. They do this well.

One example: Edward Timoska, who in just three years has risen to become a field supervisor at the Narva Police Station. A young man from Sillamäe, he studied at the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences and returned to his hometown. Recently, he spent half a year furthering his education at the police academy college in the United Arab Emirates. What propels him forward? According to his colleagues: dedication, the desire to become a better police officer, the wish to make his community better. People like this — who believe in the future — move us all forward, move Estonia and their home place forward.

Two more thoughts. First, on Independence Day I address all compatriots whose home language is not Estonian or who do not yet have Estonian citizenship. I assure you: anyone who has embraced Estonia's cultural space and laws can feel confident and secure in Estonia. But Estonia's cultural space also means that we support the victims of an aggressive war and help Ukraine defend itself and that we do not justify the war or the aggressor.

Moreover, Ukraine has already won because it has remained standing as a state and a society. And Russia has already lost because with its criminal war it severed itself from the West and turned itself into a state of evil, internally constrained by the grief and suffering of hundreds of thousands of victims.

Estonia can feel confident. We are ready, on our own and together with our allies, to defend NATO territory. We also see that Russia has no intention in the near future of launching a military attack against any NATO country. But we will certainly experience hybrid attacks and we will cope with them.

The women and men, young and old, who won us our country in the Estonian War of Independence knew that freedom is won. So did those who restored Estonia's freedom and independence 35 years ago. It is now the duty of all of us to preserve and advance that freedom.

Happy Independence Day, Estonia!

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!