Dear Dr George Vella, President of the Republic of Malta,
Dear Mrs Miriam Vella,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear colleague, George, I am glad to welcome you and Miriam in Estonia. It is a great pleasure that your visit marks the festive occasion and we can celebrate together the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries.
The paths of Malta and Estonia have crossed several times in recent history. On 26 August 1991, Malta recognised Estonia and diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on 1 January 1992. Twelve years later, in 2004, Malta and Estonia joined the European Union together. We have presided in the EU Council one after another. It is also important that Malta is cooperating with NATO, sharing with allies its valuable expertise in the security issues around the Mediterranean Sea.
I am particularly pleased to host you today at the Arvo Pärt’s centre. This great composer has once said: “Regardless from which viewpoint we look at it – the farther we move away the clearer we can see that we are all in the same boat. […] The world is a unified organism: if one tooth aches, the whole body is in pain, if one person suffers, the whole world suffers, although we do not always recognize it right away.” This is why it is of utmost importance to cooperate and cherish your friends.
As close partners, we go through the same challenges – financial crisis, migration, Brexit, Covid-19, and now the Russian military aggression against Ukraine. Today, Ukraine defends values set in the UN Charter, also the European values of freedom and democracy. It is our moral obligation to sustain our support to Ukraine, who pays the highest price. The measure of our success is not how quickly we come to some sort of peace, but how effectively we jointly can put pressure on the aggressor to stop and withdraw.
This brutal and unjustified aggression – most serious threat to the global peace and security since the end of the Second World War – challenges the very foundation of the multilateral system and undermines the security of all members of international community. If we let this happen to one state, then the maintenance of peace and security in every state is under threat. Today, diplomacy is not about keeping a dialogue going, but having international order fully restored and to find justice for the victims of this aggression.
Malta will soon take up seat in the United Nations Security Council. This will be a great responsibility, but also an opportunity to promote multilateralism and international rules based order, including application of accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity. I am confident that in this role, Malta will significantly contribute to the restoration of global peace and security.
Reflecting 30 years of our relations, people have always been at the core of this relationship. Both our nations are amongst the smallest in Europe, both are on the geographical edges of the Union, both are in difficult, challenging neighbourhoods. However, we have withstood the test of time. Today, Malta has become an important partner of Estonia in the Mediterranean region. Although being at the border of the EU, we are striving to be, politically and mentally, part of the core of Europe. A common European house is our strength. Great Maltese poet Dun Karm went even further when he wrote: “Higher than the life of this world is my hope.”
As we know, the megalithic temples in Malta, Ggantija or Ta-Hagrat, date to the period well before the Egyptian monuments. Similarly, the people of Estonia have, for at least fifty centuries been present in this part of Europe. We have preserved our freedom, sovereignty, national identity.
Mr President, dear Mrs Vella, your visit testifies that our bilateral relations are excellent and they are strengthening. Small as we are, we can combine our strengths for further successes. That is why I am pleased to witness growing bilateral cooperation in culture and education. Our young people, the students, use the benefits of the Erasmus+ programme. Cooperation between the University of Tartu and the University of Malta, between our diplomatic academies, and new ed-tech startups are all promising signs for the future. Smart, educated nations will be successful and will prevail.
Malta is a country much loved by Estonian tourists. I am sure that they visit Malta and Gozo not only because of the climate and history but also because of your warm hospitality. More Maltese people are also finding their way to visit Estonia. I hope that our businesses will open new prospects of cooperation.
All that said, still, the keywords security and stability in Europe are of utmost importance. The more so, I am looking forward to this year’s Arraiolos meeting in Malta and our conversations there.
Mr President, allow me to propose a toast to you and your spouse, to the happiness and prosperity of the Maltese people, and to the fruitful cooperation between our countries. To the long-lasting relationship between Estonia and Malta, to your health – terviseks!
