Kaja Kallas on May 9: We all have different pasts, but we must focus on our common future. That is what Europe Day means
The significance of May 9 is perceived differently across European states, and discussions about this date must be related to national histories and to how these shape the present. Head of European diplomacy Kaja Kallas made the statement at a joint press conference with President of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu.
The European official emphasized that although some states mark May 9 as a symbol of victory in the World War II, different historical experiences lead to distinct interpretations of this day.
“I come from a country that has had different communities and different ways of celebrating May 9. The discussions we have had about why we cannot celebrate May 9 as Victory Day start from the fact that if, after the end of the war, we in Estonia had been left in freedom and independence, we could have marked this day as a victory,” Kallas said.
However, she explained that in Estonia’s case, the period following the end of the war was marked by the repressions of the Soviet regime.
“Because atrocities for my country began on that day, we cannot celebrate May 9 as Victory Day,” the European official noted.
In this context, Kaja Kallas called for unity and for focusing on Europe’s common future.
“We all have different pasts, but we must focus on our common future. That is what Europe Day means,” she underlined.
The statements were made on the eve of Europe Day, marked on May 9, a symbol of peace and the European integration project.
Kaja Kallas is paying an official visit to the Republic of Moldova on May 7–8, with meetings scheduled with the entire leadership of the country, ministers, and members of civil society.
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