Estonian President Urges UNGA to Join Ban Ki Moon in Focusing on Democracy and Human Rights

In a speech to the UN General Assembly in New York, President Toomas Hendrik Ilves of Estonia discussed the country’s successful transition to democracy as the country celebrates the 20^th anniversary of its independence (highlighting Estonia’s Free rating in Freedom in the World). He expressed concern at the challenges that continue in many countries of the former Soviet Union and hopefulness at the democratic movement currently sweeping the Middle East as its people strive for freedom.  He also welcomed a commitment by UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon to make human rights and democracy a priority in his second term.

Estonia and its Baltic neighbors, Lithuania and Latvia are three of only a handful of former Soviet Union countries considered Free by Freedom House. Since it won its independence in 1991, Estonia has vigilantly pursued integration with Western political and economic structures. It was accepted into the European Union and NATO in 2004 and entered the Eurozone in 2011. The judiciary in Estonia is independent from government interference and the country has actively engaged in judicial reform as well as anticorruption efforts. Civil society and independent media operate without restriction, in fact, Estonia had the highest level of internet freedom in Freedom House’s 2011 edition of Freedom on the Net.

Freedom House congratulates Estonia on maintaining and strengthening its commitment to democratic principles and joins President Ilves in welcoming the Secretary General’s focus on human rights and democracy.