Germany has a heart for Estonian unease

Photo: Raigo Pajula /Vabariigi Presidendi Kantselei

At 9:30 am yesterday morning, a top important meeting took place during state visit to Germany by Estonia’s President Toomas Hendrik Ilves.

Just when the time was exactly right, a black limousine entered the inner courtyard of Bundeskanzleramt in Berlin, stopping at the red carpet unto which the Chancellor Angela Merkel, in a red jacket, had appeared a mere moment ago. «Guten Morgen, Frau Bundeskanzlerin,» said Mr Ilves. The host returned his greeting and into the building they disappeared. As witnessed by photographers already packing their gear and the schoolboys «Merkel-Merkel!» behind a protective fence rather far away.   

A topic discussed at the half hour meeting of Ms Merkel and Mr Ilves was the ever present and troublesome crisis in Ukraine, and whatever will happen with part of the Anti-Russia sanctions by the EU expiring in June – in need of a half year extension.

«Estonia is concerned about what will happen when we come to November – and are in the same situation as we are now – what the EU member states’ stands will be then,» Mr Ilves told Estonian journalists, afterwards.

According to Mr Ilves, the issue is what we would do in six months if Ukraine continues to experience the same so-called low-level conflict where shots are fired a couple of times a day, with a couple of people killed.  

«What we will do, I know not. Neither does she [Merkel],» Mr Ilves told Postimees.

The President noted, however, that Germany is with us in our concerns – more so than might be expected. «Bundeskanzlerin had much more understanding regarding the concerns of us, let’s say of Northern Europe, than is the usual overall impression. Mainly, it’s because other things are being asked. But I think that these German and Estonian understandings are much closer here,» he said.

The carefully planned day of Mr Ilves yesterday involved laying wreaths at Bundeswehr soldiers’ memorial and of the victims of the 1953 revolt. He opened an economic seminar and spoke on Estonia as a potential European example of e-integration. He met with German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and defence minister Ursula von der Leyen. For Estonians, it is obviously soothing to know that, according to Mr Ilves, these two do also understand our unease.

Another concern which, looking from Estonia to the outside might seem larger than the other way round, is the now infamous European Commission quota plan. Regrettably, the President’s schedule featured other pressing issues instead of an in-depth deliberation of that. Mr Ilves said they did indeed touch the quota plan while meeting with German President Joachim Gauck, but it failed to surface when talking to the Chancellor and the two ministers.

In the opinion of Mr Ilves, the preliminary quotas suggested by the commission are absolutely opaque and incomprehensible. «But that’s a proposal, it will not necessarily pass. I do not believe we need to make too much ado about it in Estonia right now,» he said.

Our animosity towards quotas will not mean opposition to the commission’s immigration policy. As underlined by Mr Ilves the day before yesterday, as a kid of two boat refugees it is difficult for him to take a resistant stand.