President Lennart Meri visited the Sillamäe Main School yesterday. The headmistress Natalya Kochergina and Chairman of the City Council Valdek Murd showed the school to the President.

As Kochergina said, there are 107 pupils in the Estonian school of Sillamäe; she and the Chairman of the City Council spoke to the President of the City Council's plan to develop Sillamäe Main School into the Estonian-language secondary school of Sillamäe. The President was also told about the participation of Sillamäe children in the Estonian language camps, which they considered to have been very useful. The President also visited a history class of the eighth grade, and gave his autographs to the diaries of the first graders of the Sillamäe Main School. The President wished the school a lot of hope for the future that would accompany the teachers and pupils of this beautiful school on the way to wealthy Estonia.

The President also visited the Silmet joint stock company, where Tiit Vähi, the Chairman of the Board, showed the President the production of the 21st century metals and substances, including the supply of one fifth of the metallic niobium market of the world.

In the evening, the President visited Narva. The President visited the Narva College of Tartu University and had a meeting with the members of the Alexander Congregation of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church in Narva, as well as the Minister Villu Jürjo. The meeting took place in the congregation house, and the President also visited the church waiting for restoration.

In the evening, the President visited the Kreenholm textile industry, where introductory tour was made by Meelis Virkebau, Director General of the Kreenholmi Valduse Ltd. The Kreenholm clothes factory was shown to the President by Nadezhda Sinyakova, Director of the factory. She showed the President the factory's products, most of which are labelled ''made in Estonia''.

In the evening, the Director of Kreenholm Meelis Virkebau hosted a dinner for President of the Republic, the Mayor of Narva Eldar Efendiyev, College Director Katrin Raik, the Minister Villu Jürjo and Academician Anto Raukas. The Mayor of Narva told the President about the forthcoming festivities in Narva, when the victory of the Swedes in the battle of Narva during the Great Northern War will be celebrated.

This morning, President Meri will visit Narva-Jõesuu, in order to discuss the restoration of the good reputation of this summer resort with the Mayor Rein Annik.

In the evening, the President will visit the chipboard factory at Püssi, and travel on to Alajõe on the shore of Lake Peipsi.


Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, September 20, 2000

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