Estonian Independence Day
democracies considered the annexation of Estonia by USSR illegal. They
retained diplomatic relations with the representatives of the independent
Respublic of Estonia, never recognized Estonia as a legal constituent part of
Soviet Union. Estonia's return to independence became possible as the Soviet
Union ran into economic dufficulties as a consequence of the Cold War and
began to disintegrate. As te situation evolved, a movement for more Estonian
selfgovernance started.
In 1989, during the ,,Singing Revolution", a human chain of more than 2 million
people, called the Baltic Way, was formed, streching through Lithuania, Latvia
and Estonia.
Estonia formally declared regained independece on August 20, 1991, during the
Soviet military coup attempt in Moscow.
The last Russian troops left on 31 August 1994. Estonia joined NATO on 29
March 2004 and the European Union on 1 May 2004.
Retreat taganema
annaabi.ee 
