Baltic News Service - 08.06.02

 

 

BNS

Estonian Government Decides Marking of Holocaust Day

TALLINN - The Estonian cabinet decided on Tuesday to follow the example of other member countries of the Council of Europe and to name January 27 a day of the remembrance of the Holocaust and victims of other crimes against humanity. 

Education ministers of Council of Europe member countries signed on October 17, 2000 a declaration by which they agreed to devote one day in schools to remembrance of the Holocaust and victims of other crimes against humanity, a spokesman for the government informed BNS.

The date of the remembrance day was left for each country to decide in accordance with its history and preferences. On behalf of Estonia the declaration was signed by the previous Education Minister Tonis Lukas.

In the opinion of the government, January 27, the day of liberating the Auschwitz concentration camp is the most suitable data to remember the persecution of different groups of people in Estonia. 

Among other things, the date was picked because it had been suggested also by the Council of Europe and Finland, Sweden, Norway and Great Britain had chosen the same date.

Prime Minister Siim Kallas said the government regarded it as important to pay much more attention also to remembering victims of the Communist regime on March 25 and June 14. 

Prime Minister Siim Kallas said at a press conference following the government session on Tuesday that no one had put pressure on the government to introduce Holocaust Day in schools.

The prime minister said that marking of Holocaust Day was in no way connected with attacks Efraim Zuroff, representative of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, had launched against Estonia, the Parnu monument scandal or an article by the United States ambassador to Estonia where the latter reproached the country for having forgotten the Holocaust.

Kallas added that Estonia must not let itself be disturbed by Zuroff's accusations but must carry on work it has always regarded as important." Estonia has clearly expressed its opinion with regard to crimes against humanity and has said that we are irreconcilable and will handle all cases that may be connected with crimes against humanity," the prime minister said.