Mr. Admiral,
Excellencies,
officers and soldiers,
dear guests!

We have gathered here today to give the name of Admiral Johan Pitka to the new flagship of the Estonian Navy. This is a present from the Kingdom of Denmark. Let me therefore now thank Denmark, and Her Majesty Queen Margrethe, and the armed forces of Denmark and the government of Denmark. The name of Admiral Pitka needs no explanations. He started his career as a naval officer in the War of Liberty, and was killed in World War II, fighting against the Nazis and the Communists for the restoration of the Republic of Estonia.

The people of Estonia managed to restore their independence only in 1991, and since then, our co-operation with Denmark, with the Baltic Sea countries and with the world has developed flourishingly. The co-operation agreement between the Ministries of Defence of Estonia and Denmark was concluded in 1994. The Admiral Pitka is a beautiful symbol of this co-operation. A symbol only has a value when it guides us forward. The Admiral Pitka does guide us forward, it guides the co-operation between Estonia and Denmark for securing the peace and security of the Baltic Sea. It will be your task, Admiral Pitka, to be and to work as the headquarters and supply ship of the Baltic Minesweeping Division BALTRON.

I thank the crew of the Danish ship Beskytteren and assure you, assure all our guests, that Admiral Pitka will fly the Estonian flag with dignity.

I thank you all and wish Admiral Pitka three feet of water under the keel: let the Estonian seas always be free!

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