Estonia on Tuesday joined a Lithuanian initiative to establish a memorial in Brussels dedicated to victims of Nazi and Soviet regimes, the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry said.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna presented a formal letter of support to his Lithuanian counterpart Kęstutis Budrys.
The initiative is supported by European Parliament institutions, and the memorial is being designed by British architect Tszwai So. Lithuania aims for the monument to be opened by 2027, during its presidency of the Council of the European Union.
"Almost every Lithuanian family experienced Soviet terror. Men, women, children, and the elderly were forcibly torn from their homes, crammed into cattle cars, tortured, imprisoned, or killed. Even newborn babies were accused of being 'enemies of the people.' Hundreds of thousands were deported to Siberia, and less than half returned home," Budrys said.
According to the minister, unacknowledged and unpunished crimes lead to new violence, and therefore the European memorial in Brussels will contribute to preserving historical memory, honouring victims, and strengthening the principle of justice.
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