Spread of information about crimes of totalitarian regimes discussed in Brussels

09.04.2008

"It was a hearing of crimes of totalitarian regimes. It is part of a longer process in the course of which these matters will be thoroughly discussed and certain results reached," Toomas Hiio, board member of the Estonian Memory Institute Foundation, who took the fllor at the conference, told BNS.

No joint statement was adopted at the conclusion of the conference but 40 of its participants signed an appeal to set up in the European Union an international commission investigating crimes of Communist regimes, to set up a foundation that informs the public wider about these crimes, to declare August 23 the day of remembrance of victims of totalitarian regimes in Europe and equalize the treatment of all victims of totalitarian regimes.

Representatives of the European Commission promised after the meeting that the Commission would continue organizing such conferences and give its recommendations and advice for the achievement of wider knowledge and public accord about these crimes. The European Commission will presumably present its ideas for further moves also to the European Union's justice and interior minister's council.

The EU presidency Slovenia promised to publish the materials of Tuesday's conference in order to help make the problem wider knwon by means of these materials.

A year ago the EU justice and interior ministers agreed on a common approach concerning a framework decision on fighting against forms and expressions of racism and xenophobia by means of criminal law.

The framework decision, which has still not been adopted for procedural reasons, is accompanied by a declaration appealing to continue investigation of circumstances connected with crimes committed by totalitarian regimes and to take respective additional decisions in that respect if necessary.

Relying on this, Vice-President of the European Commission Franco Frattini launched public hearings on totalitarian crimes.

In a joint declaration made in mid-March Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves and his Polish Colleage Lech Kaczynski made an appeal to set up an international commission studying crimes of Communism in Europe.

"This is our obligation to the children of the victims who, being citizens of free Europe, see that their suffering is treated as a second-rate "historical issue, which is better kept silent about," the two presidents said in their joint statement.

Also Estonian Justice Minister Rein Lang said on Tuesday that in the opinion of the government fast progress was needed in order to condemn totalitarian crimes and to set up a commission uniting all EU member countries.

Tuesday's public hearing was attended by historians, lawyers and citizens' associations from EU-27, several members of the European Parliament elected from the Baltic countries; reperesentatives of Russia were also present.

Baltic News Service