Today, the Vice-President of the Riigikogu Laine Randjärv participated at the Rahumäe Cemetery in the opening of a memorial column to the deported Estonian Jews. Randjärv, whose term as the Minister of Culture saw the initiative of erecting the monument receive an extensive support on behalf of the state, made a speech, in which she said the following: “Estonian Jews are strongly characterised by their ability to unite in sorrow and joy. It is due to their strong sense of unity that the Jewish community occupies a prominent position in the Estonian society. The opinions of the most distinguished representatives of the community on different matters – be it politics, economy or international relations – are highly valued by the state, and on my behalf I can confirm that our cooperation is developing and gaining strength. The Estonian state continuously respects, treasures and supports the Jewish community, which constitutes an inseparable part of our society. And today we shall all bow our heads in memory of the people who perished on the long and merciless way of suffering.“