- Reset +

President Ilves to the new Head of State of Germany: Europe needs you as a moral spokesman

20.03.2012

The Estonian Head of State, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, sent a letter to Joachim Gauck who was elected the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, congratulating him on behalf of the Estonian people and himself on being elected to such an responsible post, and confirmed that right now Europe needs Germany and Joachim Gauck as its spokesman.

"I am extremely pleased that you were elected the President of the Federal Republic of Germany. I wish you the best of luck," wrote President Ilves. "Germany has got a good president, and Estonia a good friend."

The Estonian Head of State emphasised that his pleasure is not solely an expression of politeness. "I have written about the gap that still exists between the so-called Western and Eastern Europe, and since 2004, inside the European Union, covering almost all the time that Estonia has been newly independent. Formally, everything seems to be all right, but a patronising attitude and biased approach are tough to banish. We can still feel the cracking of Europe into the new and old part," stated the Estonian Head of State.

"Therefore, I have always seen Germany as the key country in helping to overcome these barriers, as the very same issues have been tackled – successfully – within this state. Your long-term and versatile experiences will grant a special level of credibility to your upcoming functions as the Head of State of Germany. Europe needs your moral leadership," President Ilves emphasised.

"Here, in Estonia, we still remember your visit to Tallinn in 1999 and highly appreciate your contribution to identifying the dark shadows of the past. I have established an institute in Estonia myself to explain the real nature of communist occupation or "Wie es eigentlich gewesen ist". It is difficult to build a future without understanding history," wrote the Estonian Head of State, as he expressed his hope to host Joachim Gauck in Tallinn one day.

Office of the President
Public Relations Department
Phone +372 631 6229