6. Kodanike komiteed (The Citizens’ Committees and the Congress of Estonia)

By early 1989, the utopian-seeming idea of an independent Estonia was becoming a reality. But there was a contentious question: who had the right to decide Estonia’s future if the country suddenly had an opportunity to restore independence?

On 24 February 1989 – the country’s 71st anniversary – the ERSP, the Estonian Heritage Society and the Estonian Christian Union announced an initiative to register citizens of the Republic of Estonia, who had undemocratically been forced to become Soviet citizens in 1940.

Citizens’ committees started the process and close to 800,000 people were registered in one year. By publicly declaring themselves citizens of the Republic of Estonia, hundreds of thousands left their fears behind. Thanks to the registration of citizens, a new national goal superseded that of a merely autonomous Estonia. The focus was now on a full-fledged independent nation-state – the continuation of the country that had lost its independence half a century before.

On 11 March 1990, the Congress of Estonia – consisting of 499 representatives – convened in the Estonia Concert Hall. This body united all of the political forces in Estonia at that time on the basis of citizenship. The Congress held a clear mandate from the Estonian citizens to restore the Republic of Estonia de facto as the nation-state founded in 1918.

Tunne Kelam was elected the leader of the Congress of Estonia. From 1990 to 1992, the Congress served as the representative body of the country’s citizens, with power to decide on matters of statehood and citizenship. It did so in parallel with the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic’s Supreme Council, whose electorate and members included non-citizens as well.

The Congress had a decisive role in the restoration of Estonian independence on 20 August 1991, reaching a national consensus with the Supreme Council with regard to nation-state and legal continuity. In this way, the voices of Estonian citizens were heard in deciding the destiny of the country.

The Congress of Estonia served in its role until the Riigikogu, Estonia’s Parliament, was elected in 1992.

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