Address by President of the Republic of Tatarstan M.S.Shaimiev to citizens of the republic in connection with the 60th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War

Dear veterans of war and work!

Dear compatriots!

On behalf of the RT State Council, the Government of the Republic of Tatarstan and on my own behalf I heartily congratulate you on the occasion of the prominent anniversary - the 60th anniversary of Victory of our multinational people in the Great Patriotic War!

Since that memorable day when Levitan's pathetic voice had announced to the country capitulation of nazi Germany, it was born and grown up not one generation of people but memory of bygone war still is alive in hearts of each of us - from gray with age veterans up to young schoolboy. And it is quite natural: as tragedies and triumphes of so tremendous scale have no time measurement - they are for ever have embodied in collective consciousness both the separate nations, and all mankind.

We as single nation, single country - have passed through all burdens and ordeals of war. Despite deathly jeopardy, famine and cold, we had forged this victory on fronts, at plants and collective-farm fields, in design office and rear hospitals. We were at war not with people but the most monstrous and destructive in a world history fascist ideology and its creators who lost human face. And we have got victory - not because that did not reckon with human losses as some evil - historians say but because our cause was right.

The great Victory has been obtained by great cost . Only from three-million Tatarstan more than seven hundred thousand people went to front. Almost half of them for ever remained to lay on battle fields . Till now, due to efforts of Tatarstan searching groups and veteran organizations, we find out new unfading feats of our fellow countrymen, with appropriate honours we commit to the earth remains of heroes, we hand veterans fighting awards found them in decades

Memory of Great Patriotic wa victorers forever has incarnated in names of streets of our cities and villages, immortalized in bronze and a granite of thousand monuments, embodied in invaluable exhibits of study of local lore and school museums. Before celebrating Victory Day and a millenium of capital of our republic the Museum - memorial of Great Patriotic war solemnly opened . in its very heart - a whitestoned Kremlin

In such concrete affairs on perpetuating memory of perished heroes and in the greater measure - in national care of nowadays living veterans the words familiar to us since the childhood " nobody is forgotten, nothing is forgotten " are filled with a true contents.

From all my heart I wish you, our dear veterans, health, well-being and all-round care of associates, and all Tatarstanians - worthily to meet this Great Holiday! Victory Day, dear compatriots!

President

Republic of Tatarstan

M.Sh. SHAIMIEV