TALLINN. Feb 5 (Interfax) - The Estonian public movement Night Watch made a statement on Thursday against President Toomas Hendrik Ilves' decision to award former SS officers and Forest Brothers.
"In the year when the whole of Europe will be celebrating the 65th anniversary of the liberation from Nazi enslavement, the Estonian president is demonstratively awarding Nazi abettors - the collaborators," Night Watch said in the statement.
The list of awardees does not include those who fought on the side of the anti-Hitler coalition, the anti-fascist group said.
"This fact confirms once again that the Estonian government is following the path of historical revisionism by turning former SS officers, the Forest Brothers - thugs and ordinary criminals - into fighters for freedom," Night Watch said.
The statement names five people who are referred to as "the fighters for freedom" in the awarding decree.
The Estonian President signed a decree bestowing orders upon 97 Estonians and foreigners earlier on Wednesday.
The award ceremony is due on February 23.