President of the Republic and Mrs. Helle Meri will tomorrow travel to Salzburg, Austria, where President Meri will festively be awarded this year's Dr. Herbert Batliner Prize for conducting the policy of small countries.

At the beginning of this year, the Council of the Dr. Herbert Batliner European Institute decided that the Batliner Prize for the year 2000 – the Small Countries Prize – will be awarded to the Estonian President Lennart Meri for his outstanding services in devising and supporting the policy of small countries.

The prize awarding ceremony will take place on Sunday, July 23, at the Salzburg palace, and also the Austrian President Thomas Klestil will be present on the ceremony. The meeting between the two Presidents is going to take place on the same day.

Among others, also the Head of State of Liechtenstein Prince Hans Adam II and his spouse are going to participate in the ceremony.

Erhard Busek, the former Vice-Chancellor of Austria, is going to hold a speech in honour of Lennart Meri.


Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, July 21, 2000

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