President Karis: Estonia's development pace has halted, we need new gears.

In his Republic Day speech on Monday, President Alar Karis acknowledged that Estonia's pace of development has slowed. Although the diligence of Estonians has not diminished, positive results are becoming increasingly difficult to discern.

According to Karis, building the nation is a daily collective effort, reborn each morning in various locations across Estonia and beyond. He emphasized that Estonia is our home, a place where it is good to be and where we can be most authentically ourselves.

The head of state's greatest wish on Estonia's birthday is that every person living in Estonia feels at home and that no one feels marginalized. A sense of unity and shared values bind us as a nation, allowing us to set aside differences during crucial moments. However, Karis warned that if we selfishly undermine these shared elements, we also damage our identity, which is particularly vital for a small country.

The President acknowledged that Estonia has been a wise and industrious nation, whose success has stemmed from economic freedom, streamlined administration, a sound budget, and the adept adoption of new technologies. Yet, he now feels that while the people are working hard, progress is not accelerating. "It's as if we're pressing the brakes while pushing the pedals, causing pain. Our pace of development has halted, even declined, let's be honest," Karis said, adding that a growing number of people are finding it difficult to cope with daily life.

Karis also drew attention to the rising malevolence in the world, which is testing shared values and international agreements. He noted that the future is more uncertain than before, but fear is unproductive – progress comes from enterprise and intelligent action. Therefore, the President posed the question: "where and how do we make the next leap in development? Estonia must find new gears."

Avaldatud 24/02/2025