President Alar Karis Libraries And Small Schools Bring Us To The Strength And Misery Of Local Governments

Hello, dear people of Estonia First of course - congratulations! Happy birthday to the Republic of Estonia! This is the reason we are celebrating today here in Estonia and immeasurably more people in their homes in Estonia and beyond.

In January, I asked the students to write on the topic "Why does the world need Estonia?" This is a question that adults might want to think about too.

Merje Meerits, a teacher at Tallinn Polytechnic University, sent me her students' written work and attached a cover letter I read a cover from there: ".

since every person is a world, I do need Estonia to speak Estonian without shame and fear, eat black bread and live freely in my native land " Yes - every person is a world.

These worlds create our common world where we are all together Like in one ship.

But not still Because those who stay put leave themselves behind.

we were in a hurry when we joined the European Union and NATO Then it seemed like it was time to take a breather.

Not Anymore The Real Time Is Back

Security Coping With People

Maintaining The Democratic Foundation Education

Health Environment

Innovativeness and economic growth Relations between the state and citizens.

Lasting as a country and nation These are touchstones that will determine Estonia's future if they are dealt with quickly.

That's why, if we really want to help ourselves, as Tammsaare wrote, we have to cultivate the inner conviction that our only true escape is in loyalty to our country, our people, our language, our culture, our identity If we do not have this knowledge of truth, we are like a bunch of grains of sand blown by a gust of wind, or like smoke that disperses in the weather.

But people are not grains of sand and Estonia is not a puff of smoke We must be tough and flexible, resourceful and daring.

You still have to be all that, which contributed to Estonia becoming an integral part of the Western world again Only that neither a modern highway nor a high-speed railway connects us to Europe.

I'm leaving the airlines aside for now And if we as Nipernads sit and watch the sun go down, the sun will go down and our roads and railways will not be built.

Fast connections, all kinds of connections to the north, west, south and within Estonia - from roads to power lines and the Internet - should be part of our strategic desire to avoid marginalization at the end of the free world Good people, in Luhamaa, Koidula and Narva you can say with all your heart: freedom starts here.

Because on the other side of the border line, evil is spreading In Estonia, this causes uncertainty and concern.

When I confirm that Estonia's military security is maintained and protected, such categorization seems at first to beautify reality We live in a geopolitically fragile place, next to Russia with the empire gene.

This Russia, whose total war in Ukraine started a year ago, opened the gates of hell to chaos and suffering As a border country, we have to think about an uncomfortable question: if Russia misjudged the resistance of the Ukrainians and the West's support for the victim of aggression, can Russia be similarly mistaken in the Baltic area? Even before the start of the great war, the NATO allies promised that they would support Ukraine with weapons in the event of an attack.

This word has been kept However, it was also known that NATO units will not go to Ukraine to fight against Russia.

Unfortunately, this knowledge encouraged the aggressor The goal of the Russian leadership is still imperialist - to continue the war of conquest, to subjugate Ukraine.

Human life, neither at home nor in Ukraine, has no value in Russia's eyes As well as its own economic isolation and devastation diplomatically.

But Russia should not doubt: as soon as it attacks a NATO ally, the alliance's response will be swift, crushing and final On the spot.

Force Against Force I'm Sure Of It

It's true, we also have a lot to do in a short time Willingness to defend Estonia will always accompany us next to Russia, which is an enemy of peace.

What do I mean? Increasing the combat readiness of the Reserve Army and increasing the capacity and numbers of the Defense League Study gatherings.

New weapon systems and opportunities to practice their use in Estonia Warehouses full of necessary ammunition.

Ability to quickly receive allies and host them We have it all and it keeps getting better.

Estonia has acted vigorously to increase its defense capacity, made difficult and costly decisions All political forces promise to increase military national defense spending.

I really hope that such a consensus also reaches the funding of civil protection Together with NATO allies, we will do everything possible to have a visible and convincing military posture in Estonia and the entire Baltic Sea region, ready to protect us from the first second.

We are not preparing to attack anyone, but we are protecting Estonia and our democratic neighborhood This means that we can place such a high price on the independence of Estonia and therefore NATO countries that the threat of a possible adversary is no longer taken seriously and it loses its interest in conquest.

That Estonia - itself and with the support of its allies - is so strong that no one misjudges our will to defend and our ability to defend So, when I say - Estonia is protected - then it is so.

Estonia is really protected National Defense obliges us to create and maintain trust between the state and its citizens.

Let's admit that ensuring security places a greater burden on some of us than others That's how it is now in Nursipalus.

I consider it the responsibility of all of us to avoid conflict between the needs of national defense and the preservation of the living environment The presence of these very allies, without whom our deterrence and protection is not complete, directly depends on the infrastructure of the Defense Forces and the training opportunities we can provide.

Let's find a solution to the extension of the practice field in cooperation, with respect for each other and considering the needs of the community and municipalities Deep down, we all stand for Estonia.

Dear compatriots, We do not stand idly by at war crimes in Europe, at killing and crushing, at the abandonment of international law Estonia's internal compass obliges us to support Ukraine.

We go to help where we can That's how we sent our own rescue team to earthquake-ravaged Turkey.

I thank all Estonians who support Ukraine - volunteers with a heart, dedicated diplomats and civil servants, healthcare and educational workers, entrepreneurs, policemen-border guards, defense forces Many Estonian people.

It seems to me that this is the effort of our entire nation Harri Põllu, who leads the activities of volunteer helpers near the front in Ukraine, summed it up in a short sentence: "Everyone who believes in freedom should help Ukraine.

" We must be ready for a long effort, the scope of which will be measured in years Therefore, the question becomes more and more necessary: ​​how to keep up the motivation of friends of Ukraine to support the victim of aggression, if the war of attrition drags on and on? But let's look further: what will the new world security order look like after the war? Here, we cannot help but be a bystander.

Russia demonstrates every day that neutrality is not possible in its vicinity The decision of Sweden and Finland to join NATO is due to this.

And for this reason, Estonia supports the expansion of the alliance NATO and the European Union must prepare a clear but realistic road map for Ukraine to join.

Moldova, which has embarked on the European path, also needs it In this way, we want to increase the area where it is possible to live in peace.

And we want to reduce the gray zone - that area of ​​murky security in Europe where freedom is vulnerable to someone's imperial ambitions Dear friends, It is also important that we ourselves endure.

That our spirit stays straight As a people and a country, we are firm and generous, including towards those in need seeking refuge from war.

But we have to admit that sometimes we are tired and worried about our security and coping That's when you need to rest, get together with friends and go out into nature, take time off and get out of the News feed.

We all need that Also so that we as a society do not falter under war fatigue and hardships.

So that our vision remains clear and wide How many of you noticed that the latest Estonian Human Development Report is dedicated to mental health? Scientists and experts propose there how to reach a mentally healthier life.

A sense of social security, connectedness to the community, giving up the cult of success and the pressure to achieve, balance in life, early detection of problems Often the key is locked in ourselves.

In how we all think and say, how we know how to maintain relationships with those around us, how we notice the feelings of others and react to them All in all, it's a pretty comprehensive solution to being a better person to yourself and others.

Better also means healthier I have often spoken about mental health - especially the mental health of young people - and met with many experts.

After one of these conversations, I got a question whether Estonia might not need a tiger leap here as well A beautiful thought, because this is how we became one of the most successful digital countries in the world.

And now we could similarly strive for a spiritually resilient Estonia A jump is needed here as well.

But in the case of mental health, let's first of all talk about everyone's diligent daily care to keep their home, their relationships, their community in order Like ants that don't let litter pile up in their nest.

For humans, junk means anything that undermines our mental and physical well-being In this year of movement, let's also see that the more movement, the more healthy people.

As experts have noted, political parties are promising voters that they will pull youth mental health out of the quagmire, which means more smaller classes, more counselors in schools and curbing school bullying we are really busy that these election promises grow into actions.

Every year lost means dozens, hundreds of children with broken souls and, most tragically, also broken young lives Dear listeners, Our big task for the next ten years must be to get the energy sector right, because otherwise it will increasingly become an inhibitor of Estonia's development.

In order for Estonia's energy policy to really rely on diversity, decisions must be made this year Estonia's wind energy capacity has been at a standstill for ten years due to various disputes.

The use of solar energy is decreasing It is possible to build offshore wind farms in Estonia, but for this the investors must be sure that they can be built.

If we don't want to depend on electricity imports in the future, we need to decide quickly Those active in our export markets are increasingly monitoring how environmentally friendly their partners in Estonia are.

Banks do not finance unproven energy technologies or environmentally polluting investments Allow one necessary diversion.

It often seems that the green revolution divides us into supporters and opponents, leaving no room for debate But the green turn is not something that is forbidden to argue about.

In arguments, it becomes clear what is real, what is rational, what is actually affordable and what is not Then officials, entrepreneurs and society will have clarity and certainty.

But it's really hard for me to understand how a sustainability report with up to a thousand lines of data, which nearly 250 of our largest companies have to fill out once a year, fits into this pattern of clarity and certainty A European deal, they say.

This kind of bureaucracy is annoying and damages the image of the European Union Let's not forget that one of the foundations of Estonia's success has been economic freedom.

This connects us with the Nordic countries, because we are similar to these countries in terms of economic freedom But it worries me that in recent years we have often questioned the market and economic freedom.

Our economic policy messages last year talked too much about price regulation and too little about strengthening competition Market intervention due to extraordinary circumstances must be justified and temporary until the original reason has disappeared or the intervention no longer fulfills its purpose.

I alienate election slogans that promise to miraculously regulate prices and thereby offer a more affordable solution The market is usually smarter than those who try to twist it.

One distortion tends to beget another, until we end up in a vicious cycle of regulation that takes us away from market economies and free choices But what can be concluded from the mischievous mess around the liquid gas floating terminal, where the companies tried to be flexible, but the state gave conflicting signals? The need for this terminal was talked about years ago and in the meantime different governments came to power.

Unfortunately, this is not the only recent similar case Wind farms, storm-resistant electrical networks, four-lane highways, water supply reliability of Narva power plants - these are just a few examples in a long line.

Now the quay standing empty in Paldiski is a kind of landmark for political indecision and procrastination, which we, as a small country, cannot afford This year we hope to see several turns for the better.

The price increase will slow down and energy prices will sink lower than last year based on market expectations Maybe a wind farm will be built again in Estonia after a long time.

Dear sympathizers, I also have to talk about state spending Let it be said here that we cannot be like the Nordic countries in terms of spending and remain the same in terms of tax burden.

In the shadow of the crises of recent years, various governments have increased state spending without explaining where the money will be taken for them in the long term Not only one-time extraordinary expenses, such as during the corona crisis, have increased, but also fixed costs.

We could make it a habit that if someone wants to increase the fixed costs of the state, he will also show at the expense of tax increases or public benefit cuts that can be done Again, political parties promise to distribute subsidies here and there.

But like the Easter Bunny's presents, the next government will have to find where the money will come from to pay them out You can't always find that Easter gift.

This is how we bark after our children and grandchildren I would like us all to understand the same thing: money for subsidies does not come from the purse of any politician or political party.

This is our common tax money and obligations to the state that we have to carry for decades I also understand the politicians' dilemma.

Due to difficult times, many countries have increased the role of the government in the economy, thus giving artificial advantages to their companies We also have to stand up for the competitiveness of our companies.

However, speaking to Estonian entrepreneurs, I have understood that the vast majority of them do not expect handouts from the state They expect from the government exactly what is the task of the state - to ensure fair competition and equal opportunities for all market participants.

In other words, to create an economic environment favorable to entrepreneurship But how? In what way? I believe that the Riigikogu and the government must work so that intervention in the economy follows similar principles throughout Europe.

In this way, it is possible to avoid giving an artificial competitive advantage in countries who intervene more in the market during a crisis It should be Estonia's task to consistently demand the enforcement of the rules of the European single market.

And the second task here is: to find allies for this This is right and useful for us.

A successful economy is changing and adapting, it does not fish in stagnant water Education and science are the keys that pave the way for economic growth in five, ten or twenty years.

But these keys must be used now, today Over the past year, I have visited many new Estonian companies that turn what scientists have invented into business models.

Technologies invented now will arrive on the market in years, sometimes even more than a decade, and start generating profits even later It will take some time until today, the young people who solved triangles in elementary school become doctoral students, young scientists, and entrepreneurs.

However, we must invest in the development of these young people now, otherwise we will be in trouble in the future Dear listeners! I will then share with you a recent quote: “Making education a focus could be an indicator of statesmanship this spring.

” Who owns this simple sentence? Who said that the most important issue of the upcoming elections should be education? The rector of some university? Principal or teacher? Sensitive spirit person? No, it was Mait Palts, one of the representatives of entrepreneurs I can only agree with him.

And to expand his point It is not only a question of a smart and productive economy, but also of cultural and social vigilance.

These are the pillars that can support an Estonia that is bigger than itself The kind of country that speaks on an equal footing with the powerful of the world, which we have been able to be in our better moments and continue to wish to be.

The stones of these pillars are polished and laid in place in the school buildings in a timely manner However, if the educational standards waver, the construction work there will also remain lopsided and uncertain.

Of course, it is not the schoolhouses that teach our young people They are neither curricula nor smart technology.

The core of teaching and learning is still human contact The profession of a teacher will not disappear, but will become more important the more complex the world around us becomes.

But can we keep and support our teachers? Teachers who have to struggle all the time to understand new students and the new world that came with them, in addition to their subject and class management Yes, we feel a burning need for engineers, medical professionals, skilled workers, specialists in many important areas of life.

But we will not be able to solve any of these concerns if we do not first solve the issue of the reduced number of teachers and lecturers We can adopt grandiose development plans and set deadlines.

But they all remain words on paper when the teacher is burnt out or there is no one to show young people the way to the world and themselves in some subject In this way, the main thing is lost sight of: that in every school young people who are eager to learn and capable of learning get knowledge and education, which will raise them all to a more or less equal level when they receive their graduation certificate.

What is the most worthy goal of education? Cultivate our cultural commonality and at the same time bring out the unique in each person Balancing this complex equation requires skilled teachers and that we perceive education as a whole: from primary school to university or vocational school, including the education of children with special needs.

None of them are less important In addition, spotting and developing talents.

So let's find ways to make it all resonate And how to give back to the teacher his dignity, which tends to wither by running through various flags.

A teacher is not a servant, pushed and pulled by parents or students, but a learned professional, a spiritual role model, a guide Education needs an agreement from political parties to ensure quality education available to all, the necessary number of motivated teachers and sufficient funding for all of this.

Worthy thoughts are heard in the ongoing election debates Let us now take care together so that they are not forgotten at a time when action must be taken.

Education determines the future of a nation, wisdom makes rich Spiritually and economically.

Ladies and gentlemen, Estonian education and the Estonian school - a smart nation - provide the backbone of Estonia, including our culture It reminds us that a person also has a soul, not just utility bills, a bank loan and an expensive car.

But just like education, culture must also be accessible In the city and in the countryside.

For everyone who wants to be a part of it, who needs it for their daily life I am glad that our orchestras and theaters travel outside their hometown.

That there are galleries, museums and libraries all over Estonia That the Estonian audience is interested in our new films.

That the kultuuriranitsa program helps our young people with culture Let's make this ranitsa even harder.

Our young people wear it with joy and pride With the same joy and pride with which they gather in the summer for the youth song and dance party "Pyha on maa".

Creators of culture and art must be able to work on their creations in this country Serious dedication and devoting one's life to art must be taken as work, and the state must value it.

Which means health insurance and social guarantees, decent loan compensation, increasing the funding of subscriptions to News works, keeping researchers in museums, supporting the study of our history of thought in higher education institutions But does anyone know the reason why the annual awards for culture, sports and science have remained unchanged for more than 20 years? I don't know, but that's not right.

We like to say that the country must reach out to each of its citizens But now we see how in many places there is concern about the survival of Estonia's important cultural circulation, i.

E Community Centers, Libraries And Small Schools

There will be fewer people and less tax money in the municipalities, citizens with cars go to work and shops in the city, children go to school in the city - life in the countryside shrinks So it is.

Broadly speaking, libraries, community centers and small schools lead us to the strength and misery of local governments Municipalities need the help of the state here too - sometimes good advice, other times also money.

The management of local governments, life outside Tallinn and Tartu and their immediate surroundings should be one of the most important topics of the new Riigikogu and government As a country of a few individual cities, Estonia would remain stiff and stagnant.

Dear people, In a week we will elect the Riigikogu Please, let's all make this choice, including those who travel with children on school holidays.

Because the votes that really don't matter are the ones left uncast All citizens who have reached the age of 18 can be elected to the Parliament.

That is why I appeal to young people: take on the role of an informed citizen First, go pick yourself.

Second, encourage your friends and acquaintances to vote If you can get even one person to vote, the state of Estonia owes you a big debt of gratitude.

Soon, and that time will come quickly, we will let you keep the Estonian country and move it forward Each of us is the country of Estonia.

And both in the world and in the country of Estonia, we are all together Or in the words of Yuri Lotman: "We have to live .

in a human world, which imposes on us the pain of choice, inevitable mistakes, the greatest responsibility, but instead gives us conscience, genius and everything that makes a person human " Good friends, in the same boat, all together .

Good and bad, righteous and sinners, of different nationalities, of different creeds All together.

Through arguments and debates, because arguments and debates are mandatory Believing in the strength of Estonia and serving Estonia.

Happy Estonian Independence day! all together Good and bad, righteous and sinners, of different nationalities, of different creeds.

All together Through arguments and debates, because arguments and debates are mandatory.

Believing in the strength of Estonia and serving Estonia Happy Estonian Independence day! all together.

Good and bad, righteous and sinners, of different nationalities, of different creeds All together.

Through arguments and debates, because arguments and debates are mandatory Believing in the strength of Estonia and serving Estonia.

Happy Estonian Independence day!.