07 May 2004 18:37
Senior MP expects Estonia to claim damages from Russia in 2004-05
Urmas Reinsalu, chairman of the parliamentary Constitutional Commission, has said that he has asked his commission to
charge the government to claim damages from Russia, as successor of the Soviet Union, for the crimes committed under
Soviet occupation now that another commission that has been investigating repressions under both German and Soviet
occupations has completed its work. He added that the whole process would take a long time, but said that he expected
the claims to be presented later this year or in 2005. The following is an excerpt from a report by Estonian Kanal 2 TV
on 6 May. Subheadings have been inserted editorially:
Commission investigating political repression completes work
[Presenter] After 10 years of research, the national commission investigating repressive occupation-time policies has
completed a "white book" that estimates that there have been human losses of 17.5 per cent of population as a
result of the [German and Soviet] occupation regimes. There have also been considerable economic losses. The Estonian
gross domestic product amounts to about a sixth of what it would have been in a free Estonia. The Riigikogu [parliament]
thinks that the government should claim damages from Russia.
[Correspondent] The national commission was set up on the strength of a 1993 Riigikogu resolution to investigate the
consequences of both the German and Soviet occupations. A white book has been completed by now as a result of research.
It says that 90,000 citizens presumably died in Estonia in 1940-1991 and about the same number left their homeland for
good. About a half of the Estonian population suffered from direct or indirect political repression and the effect of
the [emotional] trauma thus caused may last until 2040. [Passage omitted]
The environmental damage caused by the occupation armies is estimated to amount to 65bn kroons; the economic losses
are huge. [Passage omitted]
Damage should be made good
The Constitutional Commission in the Riigikogu considers it important that damages are claimed from Russia.
[Unidentified MP from the commission] There should be compensation because there has been damage done. Such things
have been handled in various ways: for example, the Germans paid the Jews up to 250,000 dollars per person, according to
what I have read. We might be the wealthiest nation in the world if the state of Estonia gained as much in additional
revenue because of all our repressed people. [Passage omitted]
[Presenter] We now have Urmas Reinsalu, chairman of the Constitutional Commission in the Riigikogu, in our
"Latest News" [this programme] studio. Good evening.
[Reinsalu] Good evening.
[Presenter] The idea of claiming damages from Russia is something that has been discussed for a number of years.
Please tell us where has the government arrived in its activity in combining all the claims and submitting them to
Russia in fact?
[Reinsalu] I would clarify something here: the Riigikogu has not decided as yet to charge the government to tackle
the claims for damages. I have made a proposal to this end in the Constitutional Commission and the commission will
adopt a position next week. [Passage omitted]
Russia unlikely to oblige voluntarily
I would not like to be an optimist and say that Russia would agree to tackle the issue of such claims voluntarily. It
will be a lengthy legal procedure. However, the Republic of Estonia is under obligation to guarantee legal protection
over the submitting of potential claims for its citizens who have suffered.
[Presenter] And so, the presenting of claims will not be just a symbolic act?
[Reinsalu] No, undoubtedly not. There is highly complex international law, and claim laws, that we have to consider.
[Passage omitted]
An option we have been considering is to claim through American civil courts. But it is clear that the people who
have suffered will not be able to handle this alone, on their own, and for this reason the state has to provide
unambiguous help here and provide other options.
Russia should also voice regret
[Presenter] Human losses of those times are irreplaceable, isn't that so? How can they be made good?
[Reinsalu] [Passage omitted] Our duty is to make sure that we remember these individuals and, undoubtedly, to secure
that Russia, as successor of the Soviet Union, would be ready to admit [historical facts] and express regret over the
crimes against the humanity that were committed. One thing that must be pointed out here is that we are still likely to
face both court cases and inquiries in Estonia in respect of a number of crimes against humanity.
[Presenter] Very briefly, could you forecast how long the entire process might take? Until the claims are actually
submitted?
[Reinsalu] [Passage omitted] I think that the presenting of claims may take place at the end of the year or next
year. [Passage omitted] We know from similar experience with international law that such debates may take years. We have
to be ready for that.
[Presenter] Thank you for coming to our "Latest News" studio.
[Kanal 2 TV] |
RUSSIA IN FACTS
