Georgs Andrejevs (ALDE). – Mr President, I would like to bring to your attention the historical background of the recent riots and violent demonstrations in Estonia. The European Union should understand that during the 50 years of Soviet occupation the Communist regime committed multiple crimes against the populations of the Baltic States. It moved hundreds of thousands of working migrants to the territories of these occupied, former sovereign states, which were members of the League of Nations, and created a real threat that Estonians and Latvians might become minorities in their own countries.

Following immense pressure from the international community, including the European institutions, Estonia and Latvia agreed to integrate those hundreds of thousands of non-citizens into their societies. However, integration is a two-way process, and the recent developments in Estonia show that there are reverse tendencies. The sentiments of Soviet times have been replaced by Russia’s new imperialistic approach. Especially alarming is the fact that the younger generation, on which the most hopes for integration and loyalty have been placed, was at the centre of the recent violent events in Estonia, and this must give us some food for thought.