Group of prominent Estonians propose to erect statue to Boris Yeltsin
01.02.2012, 12:04Thirty-nine public figures and businesspeople in Estonia have made a proposal to erect a statue to commemorate the contribution of Russia’s first president, Boris Yeltsin, to the restoration of Estonian independence. Boris Yeltsin would have been 81 years old on 1 February of this year.
According to the signatories, this is a civil initiative and will be financed by voluntary contributions from the Estonian people, in cooperation with the relevant Estonian state institutions and the Yeltsin Fund (www.yeltsin.ru), which was created by his family to preserve the memory of Boris Yeltsin. We believe that Estonian society is sufficiently mature to recognise Boris Yeltsin’s singular contribution to the bloodless restoration of Estonian independence.
The monument to be erected as a civil initiative is the greatest thanks that the citizens of free Estonia can posthumously express to the controversial president of our neighbouring country, who also played such a significant role in our liberation.
An NGO called “Memory Initiative” has been founded to carry out this project.
According to Raivo Vare, the assessment of Boris Yeltsin’s personality has been as controversial as the characteristically complicated and controversial great man himself. “However, this does not reduce the importance of his decisive actions in ensuring the bloodless liberation of Estonia during a crucial period in our history. It is time to recognise this in a dignified manner,” said Raivo Vare, who worked as state minister of Estonia from 1990 to 1992.
A working group will be formed to determine a suitable and appropriate location for the monument and a public competition will be organised for its erection, by involving relevant state institutions, Tallinn City Government and representatives from the associations of Estonian architects and artists. The goal of the competition is the creation of a beautiful monumental work of art, which will add value to the Tallinn cityscape.
The members of the NGO council include Matti Päts, Raivo Vare, Heiki Ahonen, Jüri Kraft, Igor Gräzin, Ülo Kaevats and Jüri Käo. The head of the NGO is Meelis Kubits.
According to Kubits, the establishment of the monument will acknowledge the person of Yeltsin and his entire generation, whose resolution and wisdom enabled young people to excel in a free world. “The idea of recognising Yeltsin’s activities has circulated among people in various forms for decades. Hopefully, this time, it will be realised promptly and with dignity,” he said.
The commemoration of Boris Yeltsin’s memory is not an activity directed for or against anyone.
The undersigned wish to end this appeal with the words that Boris Yeltsin added in the autumn of 1990 to the Estonian edition of his first book Confession on a Given Topic – “I support Estonian independence”.
Signatories to the petition include Raivo Vare, Igor Gräzin, Tiit Pruuli, Marju Lauristin, Marko Mihkelson, Jüri Kraft, Matti Päts, Vladimir Juškin, Rein Veidemann, Ülo Kaevats, Vaino Väljas, Jüri Käo, Andrus Saar, Märt Vooglaid, Arnold Rüütel, Sulev Loo, David Vseviov, Jaan Elken, Jüri Raidla, Hannes Tamjärv, Mark Soosaar, Olari Taal, Aare Tark, Hanon Barabaner, Fjodor Berman, Rein Kilk, Indrek Neivelt, Heiki Ahonen, Priit Haller, Urmas Sõõrumaa, Jaan Toots, Pavel Makarov, Vjatšeslav Leedo, Kalle Klandorf, Juhan Kivirähk, Neinar Seli, Lagle Parek, Peeter Pere, Meelis Kubits.
Boris Yeltsin died on 23 April 2007.