President Lennart Meri had a meeting with the Chairmen of the factions of the Eighth Riigikogu which is soon going to leave office, and offered them a working lunch. The work done by this Riigikogu and the tasks facing Estonia were discussed.

The President also spoke of his meeting on December 18, 1998, with Ivi Eenmaa, the Mayor of Tallinn, Hain Karu, Director of the City Planning Board, and the architects Tiit Trummal, Andres Alver and Veljo Kaasik, who asked the President’s opinion whether a permanent grandstand for the military parades should be considered when redesigning of the Square of Liberty.

In Tallinn there is no need for either a permanent grandstand or a mausoleum, the President was convinced. The parades were also discussed on today’s meeting with the representatives of the Riigikogu factions. Although the Republic of Estonia is one of the smallest countries in Europe, and has the smallest army, it has been a tradition since the Independence Day of 1919 to organize a military parade on the Square of Liberty, which shall also take place this year, said the President of the Republic, the Supreme Commander of the National Defence in Estonia.


Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, January 13, 1999

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