Estonian holidays - Independence Day (Eesti Vabariigi aastapaev)

On February 24, 1918, the Salvation Committee proclaimed the sovereignty of Estonia as a separate state Now Estonia's Independence Day is celebrated annually After the First World War and the bloody confrontation in the name of freedom in the period 1918-1920, a declaration was adopted in Tallinn recognizing the independence of Estonia as a state In 1940, the country became part of the USSR The movement to restore the sovereignty of the republic stopped again for a long time and continued only in the 80s, but people still celebrated the significant date In 1988, a declaration of Estonian sovereignty was issued, meaning that the laws of the state would now take precedence over the legislation of the USSR The Soviet Union itself recognized the country's independence only in 1991 In 1994, the country was recognized for the first time as an independent state at the diplomatic level; The Icelandic government was a pioneer in this matter In addition to the generally recognized date of February 24, in connection with historical events associated with the long struggle for independence, residents of the state often celebrate other significant days: - November 28 (the emergence of a government body in the Estonian province in 1918); - February 23 (date of promulgation of the manifesto , which became a prerequisite for the recognition of autonomy); - June 23 (in 1919, during the War of Liberation, during the Battle of Võnnu, the Estonian army defeated a division of German troops); - February 2 (signing of the Tartu Peace Treaty with the Soviet regime in 1920, which recognized the sovereignty of Estonia); - May 8 (the adoption of the first six paragraphs of the Constitution during the collapse of the Soviet Union and the adoption of three state colors: black, blue and white); - August 20 (a rally of the Popular Front and the adoption by the Supreme Council of the agreed decision “On Independence” in 1991) Despite the presence of a large number of dates associated with the struggle for freedom, at the official level Estonians celebrate only February 24th For Estonian citizens, this day is a symbol of hope and a reminder that the independence of their state was achieved at a very high price