Russia warned that Estonia is preparing "unacceptable" legislation to honour Estonians who collaborated with the Nazis during World War II as "freedom fighters" in the struggle against the Soviet Union.

The Russian Embassy in Tallinn called the legislation "blasphemous", saying it would honour the veterans of a Nazi Waffen-SS Division formed in 1944 on occupied Soviet territory.

"To cover crimes, committed by Estonian Nazi collaborators, to call their activities "a struggle for national liberation", to justify and glorify them trough law is blasphemous and unacceptable," the Embassy said in a statement.

Last week, the Delfi news website in Estonia reported that the Defence Ministry wants Parliament to consider a bill that would recognise World War II fighters against Soviet troops as Estonian freedom fighters. Attempts to pass such legislation failed in 2006 and in 2010.

Following the Delfi report, Estonian Defence Minister Mart Laar fended off accusations of Nazi glorification. He said the bill aimed to define the whole contingent of those who have led armed struggle for the nation's independence and that there was no intent to honour those who fought specifically in the Waffen-SS, saying such accusations were malevolent.

"Estonia has condemned both fascism and communism and we firmly follow that credo. The bill is in the early stages of the legislative process, and it is too early to give a judgement on it. Someone has brought the initiative to light in an unfair manner and that is certainly not good for Estonia," Laar told Estonian public media.

Delfi reported there could be little doubt as to who would be recognised under the proposed new legislation. The news site reports that the draft text recognises that those who fought against the Soviet Union should be considered as "freedom fighters"

Positions

Following the publication of this article, the Estonian Permanent Representation to the EU sent a position paper by the country's Ministry of Denfense, which stresses that neither the Ministry nor the government of Estonia "have drawn up nor will draw up a bill that would label somebody a freedom fighter based on the uniform he wore".

"It is true that the Government of the Republic has, in its work schedule, given the Ministry of Defence the assignment of preparing a draft resolution to recognise people who have fought to restore the independence of Estonia," the Ministry writes further.

In its letter, the spokesperson of Estonian Permanent Representation advises that coverage from Delfi should be used carefully.

euractiv.com