According to a recent law, it is not allowed to gather in Estonia using symbols that support Russia. However, according to police, provocations are expected on May 9 and the danger of clashes is real.
TALLINN Reporter of the Estonian-language TV channel Duo 7 in Estonia Mira Ralli says right out of the box that Victory Day is a tricky topic.
It is especially difficult in Estonia, where until May 9, two different conceptions of history culminate: Estonian and Russian.
The country is home to 382,000 Russian-speaking people, about 80,000 of whom are Russian citizens.
The end of the war sealed the occupation of Estonia
For Estonia and Estonians, the end of the war in Europe meant something completely different. The German occupation changed to the Soviet occupation, which lasted for almost 50 years.
According to Mira Ralli, on the day of victory, one can remember his relatives who fell in the war and the victory of the whole world from Nazi Germany.
– However, there is no reason to hold protests in the same class as some, Ralli says.
He refers to the Immortal Regiment marches in Estonia before the corona pandemic.
This is the same association that a car team supporting Russia should arrive in Helsinki on Sunday.
You can remember, but not support Russia
In Estonia, the marches broke the corona pandemic. This year, the country’s parliament enacted the war in Ukraine temporary law (you move to another service)which prohibits public gatherings if they use symbols in support of Russia.
– In addition, Soviet-era symbolism is prohibited. Everything Russia uses in its war propaganda, says the police chief in charge of the security operation on Tallinn on Victory Day Roger Kumm.
Remembering the fallen with a bouquet of flowers, he said, is acceptable, but there is zero tolerance for forbidden symbolism. However, the police do not intend to resort to force immediately.
– We try to resolve situations by discussing. However, if necessary, we use force, Kumm says.
According to the police threat assessment, there may be brawls between pro-Russian Russians and nationalist Estonians on Victory Day.
According to the sponsor, the police have prepared for the unrest by increasing patrols in the city and keeping the troop management units on standby.
The bronze warrior statue was moved in 2007
The center of events on Victory Day is the Defense Forces Cemetery in Tallinn.
Estonia’s best-known World War II Soviet monument, the so-called Bronze Soldier, was moved there from the center of Tallinn during the 2007 riots.
Mira Ralli does not rule out the possibility that her relatives will also visit the cemetery.
– May 9 will share my family. For some of my relatives, this is a really big party, when they eat and drink a lot and take flowers to the cemetery, Ralli says.
He himself heard for the first time as a child from his mother about Victory Day. In addition, Grandma shared her own wartime experiences. However, no forced celebrations were imposed.
– I and others in my family like us are neutral about that day. We may remember a little, but we will not arrange anything more strange.
According to Rally, there is a clear generation gap in the attitude towards Victory Day.
– Young people my age don’t like it much. Older relatives still remember the war, so for them that day has a completely different meaning.
The dividing lines are also visible in the desire of Estonian Russians to understand the position of Estonians.
– More Russian speakers also understand the Estonian perspective. A small number of people consider themselves primarily Russian and do not care about the significance of that day for Estonians, says Ralli.
The Jewish perspective was also told in the school
Mira Ralli is Russian-speaking, but her background differs from classical Estonianness. As the daughter of a Finnish father and a Russian-speaking Jewish mother, she attended a Jewish school in Tallinn, whose languages of instruction are Russian in elementary school and Estonian in high school.
The school dealt with World War II from a Jewish perspective, including genocide.
– The war was talked about fairly and fairly in the school. The approach was more Estonian than Russian.
Mira Rally believes that the war in Ukraine will affect the celebration of this year’s victory day. There is nervousness in the air.
– It is very possible that something will happen on May 9 (in support of Russia).