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The President of the Republic Toomas Hendrik Ilves took the oath of office

09.10.2006

Today the President of the Republic of Estonia Toomas Hendrik Ilves took the oath of office in the Riigikogu.

The President of the Republic said in his inauguration speech that: “Today, fifteen years after the restoration of independence, I dare to formulate a task and obligation: in five years we should hand over to the first generation brought up in newly independent Estonia a state, which will look and perform as if there had never been any occupation.”

“Naturally, we cannot abolish fifty years of occupation. However, a generation – twenty years – is a period for us to judge whether we coped or not? Have we made Estonia greater, better, safer and more homelike?“ President Ilves added.

In the words of the Head of State the rulers have the right to decide what the state would do as long as the citizens agree to it. “Such an approach will oblige all of us vested with people’s trust to lead and bear responsibility, act in the name of citizens and of nothing else. If anybody justifies a dubious deed saying, „ no losses were incurred to the state!“ it means he does not understand the concept of the state. Arbitrary or disguised preference of one or another group deceives citizens; it violates the contract between the citizens and the state. This would undermine citizens’ confidence in a just state. This would slowly but surely cut the supporting pillars of the rule of law,“ President Ilves said.

The President of the Republic underlined that the people of Estonia should sense that Estonia cares; that they live in a state, which takes care of them. ”If we would like Estonia to rank high in Europe by its economic growth and welfare, not by suicides and depressed people, we have to care.

The people of Estonia should realise that this is their state. It is then that they look at the world and conclude that although Estonia is small, it is much greater than one would guess by its population,” the Head of State said.

At the end of his speech the President of the Republic called for making Estonia greater.” This is an appeal to you, dear people, to the Riigikogu and Government, to myself – to all of us,” the Head of State added.

The full text of today’s speech of President Ilves is available at www.president.ee.

At 4 pm a thanksgiving service will be held in Kaarli Church. In the evening, a festive ceremony will be held in Kadriorg Art Museum where President Arnold Rüütel and Mrs. Ingrid Rüütel will say farewell and the President of the Republic and Mrs. Evelin Ilves will greet the representatives of Estonian constitutional institutions, diplomatic corps and higher state officials.

Public Relations Department of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, October 9, 2006