Prime Minister Kaja Kallas noted that the progress of Estonia over the past three decades is a result of many factors. “Most critical, of course, is the wish and determination of our citizens to seek a better life and build a better society. The government contributed: over very many electoral cycles, it has adhered to the principles which were also stressed by Friedrich Hayek, including prudent monetary, fiscal, and financial policies; an open market economy which promotes robust competition and free trade; and commitment to the rule of law/anti-corruption,” explained Kallas.
The prime minister also pointed out that defending European democratic values is as topical today as it was during the rebuilding of Estonia. “Today, we defend these values in Ukraine. Ukraine is under attack because it is a democracy, because it built an open market economy, and because it wanted to become part of the rule of law family of the EU,” said Kallas.
“I would like to emphasise again that while the Soviet Union collapsed, its expansionist colonialist ideology never did. Ukraine is not the victim of a one-time miscalculation by a madman. We are witnessing a long-planned campaign by the Kremlin to exert control over neighbouring countries by brute force, no matter the human cost,” Kallas said in her speech.
According to the prime minister, the Russian desire to conquer other countries has been obvious for a long time. Despite that, many advocated for efforts to engage Russia and take its interests into account. “This has been a mistake, which is vividly illustrated, for example, by the decision at the NATO Bucharest Summit in 2008 not to grant Ukraine and Georgia a Membership Action Plan. This was interpreted by Russia as weakness and a clear invitation to establish itself militarily in Europe,” explained Kallas.
We cannot repeat the mistakes we did with our response to aggression in Georgia, Crimea, and Donbas where Russia gained territories and was not punished for it. No legal consequences followed. “If we fail to push back the aggressor to its territories and prosecute war crimes, the whole international rules-based order is in danger. The price goes up with every delay and every hesitation,” said Kallas.
In conclusion, the prime minister emphasised that those sharing the border with Russia have a different experience and perspective from those with much better neighbours. “While building up our democracy along the lines of the principles of Friedrich August von Hayek, Estonia listened to its international friends and advisers. Maybe now is the time to listen to us,” said Kallas.
Full text of the speech of the prime minister (in English): https://valitsus.ee/en/news/speech-prime-minister-kaja-kallas-hayek-prize-award-ceremony
Photos from the ceremony (more photos to be added):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stenbockimaja/albums/72177720301836408
More about the International Prize of the Hayek Foundation:
Friedrich August von Hayek was an Austrian economist and philosopher. The Friedrich August von Hayek Foundation was established in 1999 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of his birth. The purpose of the foundation is to support liberal thinking in line with his understandings both domestically and internationally.
The prestigious International Prize of the Hayek Foundation is awarded every two years and its laureates are individuals whose activities have been outstanding in creating, strengthening, or promoting a liberal economic and social order in Germany, Europe, or elsewhere in the world.
The first prize of the foundation was awarded to Polish economist Leszek Balcerowicz in 2001, and most recently, in 2019, the prize was given to Margrethe Vestager, Danish politician and European Commissioner for Competition.
Other laureates include Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Sauli Niinistö, President of Finland, Joachim Gauck, former President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Mario Monti, former Prime Minister of Italy, Mikuláš Dzurinda, former Prime Minister of Slovakia, Václav Klaus, economist and politician of the Czech Republic, and German economists Jens Weidmann and Otmar Issing.
Andrus Ansip, former Prime Minister of Estonia, along with Valdis Dombrovskis, former Prime Minister of Latvia, were also awarded the prize in 2011.
The Hayek Publishing Prize is also awarded in addition to the international prize of the Hayek Foundation.
More information https://www.hayek-stiftung.de/en.html
