08. April 08
Today, on 8 April, a public hearing is held in Brussels concerning crimes committed by totalitarian regimes which discusses two major themes – the knowledge about the totalitarian crimes and the ways of seeking conciliation.
According to the Minister of Justice the government wishes to move fast forward with the evaluation of totalitarian crimes. “We naturally welcome this first event which attempts to find a common understanding of the history of Europe as a whole and its implications. We wish that a committee uniting all EU countries be established for the investigation of totalitarian crimes and for deepening the common understanding of history.
“For us it is the first step in a process which started with the discussion concerning the framework decision on the fight against racism and xenophobia in the Council of the European Union and it must end with the condemnation of all totalitarian crimes,” Lang added.
Estonia is represented at the conference by Toomas Hiio, member of the management board of the Estonian Memory Foundation, who will also give a presentation there. Mr. Hiio will give his presentation in a panel which discusses how to increase the knowledge of the public of totalitarian regimes.
Today’s public hearing will take place on the initiative of the European Commission and the participants include the historians, jurists and several citizens' associations, also, there are participants outside the European Union.
On 19 April 2007 the Justice and Home Affairs Council of the European Union came to an agreement as regards the overall approach to the framework decision concerning the combat against certain forms and implications of racism and xenophobia with criminal law means. When commenting the agreement at the press conference held after the meeting of the council, the Vice President of the European Commission, Franco Frattini promised to organise a public hearing on the totalitarian crimes.
