The President of the Republic, supreme commander of the national defence of Estonia, thanked the Defence Forces for the recognition and said accepting the commemorative medal that when the Republic of Estonia and the Estonian Defence Forces were restored ten years ago, everybody promised never ever to give up our freedom or the independent right to adopt decisions voluntarily from that moment on. The President said that the Estonian Defence Forces are the institutional carrier of the defence will obligation and have acquired such a firmness and dignity that it had in the Republic of Estonia before World War II.
Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, October 31, 2001
