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President Ilves assigned the rank of Lieutenant General to the Commander of the Defence Forces

19.02.2008

The members of the National Defence Council supported the proposal by President Toomas Hendrik Ilves to assign the rank of Lieutenant General to Ants Laaneots, the Commander of the Defence Forces. The members of the National Defence Council that gathered in Kadriorg yesterday supported the proposal by President Toomas Hendrik Ilves to assign the rank of Lieutenant General to Ants Laaneots, the Commander of the Defence Forces.

“Ants Laaneots is one of those who re-established the Estonian Defence Forces and one of its most respected and experienced officers,” said the Head of State. “During Laaneots’s term of service, the problems facing our national defence have been understood to a greater extent, and as the Commander of the Defence Forces, Ants Laaneots has helped to improve relations between the leadership of the Defence Forces and the civil leadership of our national defence. These are positive developments and I wish him the strength to continue on the same path.”

President Ilves also expressed his delight that Estonia will get a new general for the 90th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia—at the recommendation of the Commander of the Defence Forces, the Head of State today assigned the rank of Brigadier General to Valeri Saar, the head of the Air Force.

“I am also delighted that many of our young energetic officers will be promoted, for example among others, German Kesa and Indrek Sirel were assigned the rank of Colonel today and the rank of Naval Captain was assigned to the head of the Navy, Igor Schvede, who are all widely recognized as educated and intelligent officers,” said the Head of State.

Discussions were also held in the National Defence Council on the proceedings in the Riigikogu regarding the proposal made by the President of the Republic to amend the Constitution. Defence Minister Jaak Aaviksoo provided a short overview of the draft of the Defence Forces Organization Act, which the government has sent to the parliament for approval.

 

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