I just feel like the Estonian side has been well represented in the Western media, and Russia's not at all. How can you say this. Russia has a far more better propaganda machine, they can get anything over to anywhere in the world. Their propaganda machine is one if not the best in the world. Most news agencies report only what is allowed by Putin. You cannot deny this.
And also there have been NUMEROUS foreign spectators to Estonia, looking into all kinds of oppression accusations that Moscow has made. Nothing has been found. Our government institutions are very transparent and law is very unbiased. And as I mentioned the second biggest party is Russian friendly.
And didn't you read my post... I said there are two sides and I understand both. Now you try to understand Estonian.
The problem with this bronze soldier issue is that
1) Estonians hate their soviet occupation period and want NOTHING to remind them of it. Especially red flags appearing every year (9th of May) in the city center by the Bronze Soldier (now moved to cemetery) provoking both sides and creating more hate.
2) Russia has great pride and thinks of themselves as the leaders of all. And also they think of them as saviors of the world of Nazis. This all makes this monument important to them.
There is truth to both sides.
The thing is this all should actually have nothing to do with Russia and it is unfortunate how they keep shitting on their small neighbors.
About all the oppression talk: you can get Estonian citizenship really easily. I think there is zero oppression of the Russian minority in Estonia. They have had 20 years to learn Estonian, exams are easy as hell, all the biggest newspapers, internet sites, tv news are translated. The second biggest political party is very Russian friendly.
Also I have many friends that are Russian and they are doing exceptionally well in their field of business here (btw they all have learned our language) and they think Estonia to be their fatherland. Damn, I had a Russian girlfriend:)
Slashdot Mirror
You obviously aren't from Estonia.
If you are talking solely about Estonian history then yes Nazi troops were nothing compared to soviet terror when about 10% of the population was deported, families torn, culture destroyed, people arrested, killed, houses pillaged by Russian soldiers etc. Read up:_ Republics o ns_en.pdf
The problem with this bronze soldier issue is thathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupation_of_Baltic
http://www.historycommission.ee/temp/pdf/conclusi
1) Estonians hate their soviet occupation period and want NOTHING to remind them of it. Especially red flags appearing every year (9th of May) in the city center by the Bronze Soldier (now moved to cemetery) provoking both sides and creating more hate.
2) Russia has great pride and thinks of themselves as the leaders of all. And also they think of them as saviors of the world of Nazis. This all makes this monument important to them.
There is truth to both sides.
The thing is this all should actually have nothing to do with Russia and it is unfortunate how they keep shitting on their small neighbors.
About all the oppression talk: you can get Estonian citizenship really easily. I think there is zero oppression of the Russian minority in Estonia. They have had 20 years to learn Estonian, exams are easy as hell, all the biggest newspapers, internet sites, tv news are translated. The second biggest political party is very Russian friendly.
Also I have many friends that are Russian and they are doing exceptionally well in their field of business here (btw they all have learned our language) and they think Estonia to be their fatherland. Damn, I had a Russian girlfriend :)
Stop messing with our country, Russia.