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President Ilves: decisions that can guarantee the successful functioning of the Estonian state must be made today

31.01.2009

"Dreams become realities when they are followed by specific actions. If we have a common wish to stand up for our country, we can achieve this," President Toomas Hendrik Ilves said, speaking in Tõlliste Rural Municipality, at the commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Paju, one of the fiercest and most important battles of the War of Independence. Lieutenant Julius Kuperjanov, one of the heroes of the War Independence, was mortally wounded at the Battle of Paju.

"Difficult, forward-looking decisions must be made in the most complicated times. One cannot wait for better moments or hope for a firmer hand. Democracy is the firm hand that we need for the preservation of independence," President Ilves stressed.

"These concepts are also very important today when the global economic crisis has turned out to be even more serious than feared. A small country with an open economy like Estonia is affected to a great extent by such a setback. On the other hand, it is possible for small countries to make quick but carefully considered decisions to prevent the worst and to establish a basis for future recovery," the Head of State said.

"The decisions that can guarantee the successful functioning of the Estonian state for the next year, the next 10 years or 100 years must be made today. Therefore, the Government and the Riigikogu are casting a critical eye on this year's budgetary costs, in order to make the necessary cuts and make sure that the country does not go bankrupt, as have many companies where workers have been laid off. The country cannot be laid off," President Ilves said.

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