Lavrov calls on EU countries to punish Estonia
Sergei Lavrov, the foreign minister of Russia, urged EU countries to punish Estonia for the removal of the Bronze Soldier Red Army monument in late April.
Estonian daily Eesti Paevaleht printed the letter on Friday.
“The western countries give their tacit approval to the fact that by equalling the heroism of soldier-liberators and the crimes of Nazis and their henchmen, Estonian authorities were attempting to rewrite history and reinterpret the role of the anti-Hitler coalition in the victory over fascism in the second world war,” the Baltic News Service (BNS) quoted Mr Lavrov as saying on Friday.
Mr Lavrov added that “Estonia’s partners in Europe and transatlantic organisations in particular, as well as in the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe should give an “adequate assessment of the Estonian authorities’ activity.”
“Russia, which has paid a terrible price for the victory over fascism, cannot remain indifferent to developments in which sacred historical memory is turned into a hostage of the moment’s political demands,” BNS quoted the letter as saying.
Ilkka Kanerva (cons), Finland’s foreign minister, said Thursday he had received the letter in late April, adding it was void of drama and only contained Russia’s views on the Bronze Soldier row.
When asked by the Finnish News Agency, the Finnish foreign ministry refused to give access to the letter by referring to section 24 on secret official documents of the Act on the Openness of Government Activities.
STT