On this day 80 years ago, Soviet forces occupying Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania carried out a mass deportation. Tens of thousands of people, including the elderly and children, were torn from their homes and placed in cattle trucks for the long journey to Siberia. Many died. Some returned, to broken lives. More deportations followed. Almost every family in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania has a story to tell.
Today we can observe a moment of silence to remember the victims. But we also need to speak up. Events like the 14 June deportations happened for a reason. They happened because two evil regimes – Nazi Germany and the Soviet Communist regime – had made a secret pact to carve up Europe. With no regard for sovereignty, human rights and the rule of law, these two regimes caused untold misery and suffering. The consequences of Soviet occupation are still felt today, 30 years after restoration of independence.
That is why Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania value their independence, freedom and democracy. That is why we are committed members of the European Union and NATO. That is why we cherish our Transatlantic bonds. That is why we are alarmed about the global spread of disinformation and false narratives about European history, about the Russian violation of the borders of Ukraine and Georgia. Today, the June deportations serve to remind us – as the late congressman Tom Lantos said, ‘The veneer of civilization is paper thin. We are its guardians, and we can never rest.’