President Lennart Meri and Mrs. Helle Meri will start a working visit to Germany tomorrow, on February 10.

The Estonian President will be a guest of honour on the festive dinner of the shipowners of the Hanseatic City of Bremen. At first, only captains, seafarers and tradesmen of Bremen were present on these festive dinners. Only 300 years ago the first guests were invited to the Schaffermahlzeit. The name Schaffermahlzeit comes from German and means a meal aboard a sailing ship.

On the 465th Schaffermahlzeit, President of the Republic will hold a speech of the guest of honour. Many influential figures of Bremen from the fields of economy, trade, and maritime industry, as well as prominent guests from abroad, will be present. On earlier occasions, all the Presidents of the Federal Republic of Germany, as well as many Heads of State from Europe, have been the guests of honour on the Schaffermahlzeit.

During the visit, President Meri will also meet Henning Scherf, the Prime Minister of the Federal State of Bremen, who also is the Mayor of Bremen.

President of the Republic will be back in Estonia on Saturday, February 12.


Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, February 9, 2000

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