Estonian Independence day, February 24th.

Today Is Estonian Independence day.
Happy Independence day to you all.



In January 1989, The Estonian Supreme Soviet adopted a language act, which declared the Estonian language the official language in the country. On 24 February 1989 the Estonian Independence Day was celebrated for the first time during the Soviet occupation. During the same year, the Citizens’ Committees Movement was launched. Its aim was to register all pre-war citizens of the Republic of Estonia and their descendants. The movement (the man at the head of the main committee was Tunne Kelam) was based on the principle of legal continuity and the continuity of Estonia’s citizenship and property rights.


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Encouraged by the rapid collapse of the communist systems in Eastern and Central Europe, the independence movement of the Baltic countries in the second half of 1989 intensified further. On 23 August, a 600-kilometre human chain reaching from Tallinn to Vilnius focused international attention on the aspirations of the Baltic nations. With one million Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians holding hands, the human chain was the biggest political demonstration in Eastern Europe. In October, the Popular Front also started to support the idea of total freedom for Estonia.


sini-must-valge lipp Toompeal-->On 24 February 1989, the national blue-black-and-white flag was hoisted to the main tower on the Tallinn Toompea castle.
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The first foreign country to recognise Estonia on 22 August was Iceland; the Russian Federation did the same on 24 August, the countries of the European Union on 27 August, the USA on 2 September and the Soviet Union on 6 September. By the end of 1991, around one hundred countries had recognised Estonia’s independence. On 10 September the same year, Estonia was accepted as a member state of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe; on 17 September it became a member of the United Nations.
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On 7 October 1992, the 7th Riigikogu (Parliament), elected on 20 September the same year, passed a declaration restoring the constitutional state power which put an end to the transition period. This decision declared the legal identity with the Republic of Estonia declared on 24 February 1918, which fell victim to Soviet aggression and was unlawfully incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1940. The Riigikogu expressed its thanks to all the countries who had de jure recognised the Republic of Estonia during the years of occupation. The same day, the government of the Republic of Estonia in exile terminated its activity.




If you are interesete learing more about Estonia and Estonians visit Esonica website.
http://www.estonica.org/index.html