Edgar Savisaar 70

31.05.2020 we together with the deputies of the Jõhvi Municipality visited Edgar Savisaar at the farm of Hundisilma To congratulate him on his 70th anniversary Me and myself, being an assistant to Edgar Savisaar, From time to time lived in Hundisilma, And I am pleased to recall the years that have brought Estonia freedom and prosperity. Prime Minister, leader of the Popular Front, Mayor of Tallinn - wherever the yubilar worked, everywhere he left his mark. Health and happiness to you, our Edgar!

Our Academician 97

Estonian academician Mikhail Bronstein celebrates his 97th anniversary on the 23 of January. Academician Bronstein is one of those intellectuals from St. Petersburg who came to Estonia as a lecturer and made a career in Estonia that perhaps would have been impossible in conservative Soviet centres. His contribution in raising our elite has been invaluable. Therefore, it is logical that Bronstein also contributed much to the process of restoring Estonia's independence by supporting his former students.

Bronstein is the economist who reached Gorbachev's adviser’s status. It is he who owns the idea of ​​agro-industrial complexes, which Mikhail Gorbachev, who had just reached the top of the Kremlin Olympus at the time, put forward. There is no doubt that this activity supported Gorbachev's movement to become a leader of an empire and changed the course of world history.

The vitality of academician Bronstein has been astonishing. He was literally a teacher to President Lennart Meri, Prime Minister Andrus Ansip and many others. Bronstein is also an honorary supervisor of my doctoral thesis, which I defended in St. Petersburg. Mikhail Bronstein has not yet said his last word, congratulations grand old man of Estonian science!

My Viktoria’s 24

On January 12, 2020, my daughter Victoria turned 24. As a father, I am happy because Viktoria is talented and beautiful, just like her grandmother, prima ballerina Larissa Kaur, to whom she is very similar. Viktoria is studying at the Estonian Academy of Arts.

I am delighted that Viktoria was among the organizers of the concert held for the 101st anniversary of Independence of the Republic of Estonia.

Congratulations, Viktoria, my daughter! (photographed: father and daughter at the Estonian National Opera in 2018).

Christmas Peace has been proclaimed in Jõhvi

On Christmas Eve (December 24th, 2019), Max Kaur, the Mayor of the Jõhvi Municipality, proclaimed Christmas Peace at the town square.

This tradition dates back to the 17th century when Estonia, Finland and Sweden were part of a single state. Christmas Peace was first declared during the reign of Queen Christina (1632-1654). Usually, the Declaration of Christmas Peace was announced by the Mayor or the City Secretary at the town square. It is traditionally declared several minutes before and after noon on the Eve of Christmas.

Max Kaur announced Christmas Peace using the original text from the time of Queen Christina: "Tomorrow, God willing, is the graceful celebration of our Lord and Saviour; and thus is declared a peaceful Christmas time to all, by advising devotion and to behave otherwise quietly and peacefully, because he who breaks this peace and violates the peace of Christmas by any illegal or improper behaviour shall under aggravating circumstances be guilty and punished according to what the law and statutes prescribe for each and every offence separately.", reads the announcement that has not been changed since 17th century.

In accordance with the tradition, Christmas Peace will last until January 13.

Chargé d'Affaires of the US Embassy in Estonia Brian Roraff paid a visit to Johvi.

Chargé d'Affaires of the US Embassy in Estonia, Brian Roraff, visited Johvi on September 23. Mr. Roraff attended the concert of the American folk-rock band "Our Band" held within the walls of the Jõhvi Town Hall, and also met with Elder Johvi Max Kaur, Chairman of the Volost Assembly Eduard East and Vice Elder Natalya Abel.

Max Kaur was elected for Mayor of Jõhvi

Max Kaur, the former Mayor of Mustvee and current vice - mayor of Jõhvi, was elected for Mayor of Jõhvi by the Council of Jõhvi Municipality during the sitting on the 11th of April, 2019.

“Today we speak about the future of Jõhvi. We will continue building Jõhvi. Jõhvi need complete the existing large-scale projects, such as the new building for the basic school that should be finished by the end of 2021 in cooperation with the Union of Estonian Architects. I believe that the end result is the most modern and architecturally accomplished school house in Estonia. In the coming years, we will build a sizeable track and field stadium, a stadium for the basic school and the Jõhvi city park. Moreover, we aim to further develop the idea of a Jõhvi Football Centre in cooperation with the Estonian Football Association, and to renovate the building of Jõhvi railway station.

Jõhvi is not only the centre of Ida-Viru county, but also one of the four regional centres in the Estonia. Jõhvi is an important role model for Ida-Viru county as well as the whole Estonia,” found Max Kaur, the Mayor of Jõhvi.

Max Kaur has previously held the position of an Adviser to the Mayor of Tallinn, he was a member of Tallinn City Council. He has also been an vice - mayor of Maardu and spent five years working as the Mayor of Mustvee. 

Happy Theatre Day, dear mother!

I celebrate the World Theatre Day with my mother, Larissa Kaur, a long-standing prima at the Estonian Opera and Ballet Theatre (in the middle of the picture). Prima ballerina Larissa Kaur was dancing on the stage of the Estonian Theatre for over 20 years. Her roles included Black and White Swan in Swan Lake, the leading part in Sleeping Beauty, and many other top parts. It was a happy time for Estonian ballet, which also allowed my mother to become closely acquainted with world ballet stars, such as Rudolf Nuriev.

My mother repeatedly appeared as a cover girl on our local fashion magazine Silhouette. For example, like Olev Subbi. Back then, the journalists baptised her as Estonian Elizabeth Taylor. She inspired Georg Ots, Eri Klas, Peeter Saul, Sulev Nõmmik, and Eduard Tubin. It is much more than just a feeling of Estonian culture peaking in the 60-70’s, in which my mother also played her part.

The prima ballerina's granddaughter, Viktoria (23), currently studying at the Estonian Academy of Arts, bears an incredible resemblance to her grandmother. Happy Theatre Day!

Max Kaur, the ex-mayor of Mustvee, is a candidate for parliamentary elections 2019.

Max Kaur announced this to media correspondents today, noting that he is nominated in the 9th constituency of Jõgeva County and Tartu County. "The minister of Public Administration Janek Mäggi will be in the district in the first place of the Center Party list." Max Kaur explained.

"Of course responsibility is high in view of the region I intend to represent. When I elect to the Riigikogu, I intend to deal with the development issues of Peipsi County, but already at the level of state power. I see a big perspective on Mustvee's passenger port. The passenger port must become a gateway to Russia and the European Union," added Max Kaur, who is also a member of Mustvee council.

Prima ballerina Larissa Kaur 77

On the 31th of October 2018, my mother, a long-time Estonian National Opera and Ballet Theater’s prima ballerina, Larissa Kaur, will be 77 years old. Prima ballerina Larissa Kaur has been dancing for more than 20 years on the stage of the Estonian theater. Her roles include the Black and White Swan in “Swan Lake”, the main part in “Sleeping Beauty”, and many other great roles. It was a happy time for the Estonian ballet. That also meant personal close acquaintances with the world-famous ballet artists to my mother, such as Rudolf Nuriev in St. Petersburg. For ten years, Larissa Kaur also danced in Astoria and in the Viru variety theatre. 

Larissa Kaur was one of the most beautiful women in Estonia in the 60's who, besides being a prima ballerina in Estonia, was also a photomodel of the largest and most popular fashion magazines in Estonia and Eastern Europe.

 She also frequently posed on the cover of our local fashion magazine “Siluett”. She was a beauty, who inspired many great painters. For example, Olev Subbi. And the journalists of that time even called my mother as Elizabeth Taylor. She was an inspiration to Georg Ots, Eri Klas, Peeter Saul, Sulev Nõmmik and Eduard Tubin. It's not just the feeling that Estonias culture’s peak was 60s and 70s, where Larissa Kaur was participating. Prima ballerinas granddaughter, my daughter Viktoria (22), is incredibly similar to her grandmother. Larissa Kaur, a long-time Estonian National Opera’s prima ballerina, occasionally consults in the field of choreography. Last time she set up the classical choreography of our young figure skaters. Congratulations, mom!

The circumstances of the MS Estonia disaster can no longer remain a mystery in the realities of modern Europe

The circumstances of the tragic sinking of the MS Estonia on September 28, 1994, which claimed thousands of lives of Estonian, Finnish and Swedish nationals, can no longer remain a secret in the realities of modern Europe. It’s been over 20 years, long enough to finally uncover the truth about the horrific tragedy that had struck the peaceful Baltic Sea.

A wide variety of versions and assumptions of how the events unfolded still cause controversy to this day. The results of the official investigation by the special state committee did not provide any answers; on the contrary, new facts were uncovered, refuting previous versions of these tragic events. Today, the need to create a new independent international investigation committee is clear. The investigation should, of course, involve representatives and relatives of the deceased.

The time has come when years after, scandals are exposed concerning business, politics and public life. In light of the secrets associated with the disaster, it’s time for the politicians and officials who were in charge at the time in Estonia, Sweden, Finland, EU and NATO, to start talking about it. I am sure that these people have all the information regarding the tragedy.

At the 2010 conference regarding the disaster, several curious facts came to light. In particular, on the night of September 28, 1994, the very night the MS Estonia was on its way from Tallinn to Stockholm, unplanned large-scale NATO exercises were conducted in the Baltic Sea. It should be noted, that unplanned live fire exercises could be performed as well.

In any case, the question remains as to why the NATO troops, who were practicing the salvation of the civilian ships, never came to the aid of the ferry in distress? Why did the leaders of our country keep silent about it? Today it is evident that what we are dealing with was not an accident but a crime. The answers we still need are to who orchestrated the tragedy, who led the operation, and who will be held accountable before the families of the victims and the European public. Unfortunately, I too have ties to this tragedy: I’ve lost my sister who was a crew member on the MS Estonia, as well as my grandmother who was a passenger.