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Siim Kallas (Estonian pronunciation: [ˈsiːːm ˈkɑlːɑs]; born 2 October 1948) is an Estonian former politician, having served as Prime Minister of Estonia and European Commissioner.[1]
Siim Kallas | |
|---|---|
 Kallas in 2014 | |
| European Commissioner for Transport | |
| In office 9 February 2010 – 1 November 2014 | |
| President | José Manuel Barroso |
| Preceded by | Antonio Tajani |
| Succeeded by | Violeta Bulc |
| European Commissioner for Administrative Affairs, Audit and Anti-Fraud | |
| In office 22 November 2004 – 9 February 2010 | |
| President | José Manuel Barroso |
| Preceded by | Neil Kinnock (Administrative Reform) |
| Succeeded by | Maroš Šefčovič (Inter-Institutional Relations and Administration) Algirdas Šemeta (Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud) |
| European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs | |
| In office 1 May 2004 – 22 November 2004 Served with Joaquín Almunia | |
| President | Romano Prodi |
| Preceded by | Pedro Solbes |
| Succeeded by | Joaquín Almunia |
| 14th Prime Minister of Estonia | |
| In office 28 January 2002 – 10 April 2003 | |
| President | Arnold Rüütel |
| Preceded by | Mart Laar |
| Succeeded by | Juhan Parts |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 9 November 1995 – 21 November 1996 | |
| Prime Minister | Tiit Vähi |
| Preceded by | Riivo Sinijärv |
| Succeeded by | Toomas Hendrik Ilves |
| Member of the Riigikogu | |
| In office 3 March 2019 – 7 September 2024 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 October 1948 Tallinn, Estonia |
| Political party | Estonian Reform Party (since 1994) |
| Other political affiliations | Communist Party of the Soviet Union (until 1991) |
| Spouse | Kristi Kallas |
| Children | 2, including Kaja |
| Relatives | Eduard Alver (grandfather) |
| Alma mater | University of Tartu |
From 1972-90 Kallas was a member of the CPSU (Communist Party of the Soviet Union). In 1987, Kallas was one of the authors of the IME plan for self-managing Estonia with Tiit Made, Edgar Savisaar and Mikk Titma. The plan proposed to make Estonia economically independent from the Soviet Union – adopting a market economy and establishing Estonia’s own currency and tax system.[2] Kallas was elected a member of the Congress of People's Deputies of the Soviet Union in the 1989 Soviet Union legislative election, the first partially free elections in Soviet Union.
After Estonia restored its independence in 1991, Kallas was appointed the President of the Bank of Estonia, at the time only having 11 employees. Within a year coherent structure of the bank was set up and on 20 June 1992, Estonia's own currency Kroon was back in circulation after being removed from circulation by the Soviets on 25 March 1941.[2]
Kallas entered politics in 1994 as one of the founders of liberal Estonian Reform Party. The 1995 elections were successful for the new party. Kallas served as the minister of foreign affairs from 1995 to 1996. He later served also as the minister of finance from 1999 to 2002 and the Prime minisiter from 2002 to 2003.
He served as the European Commissioner for Transport between 2010 and 2014. Before that he was the European Commissioner for Administrative Affairs, Audit and Anti-Fraud between 2004 and 2009. In both Barroso Commissions he was also a Vice-President. He was twice appointed the Acting Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Euro in Olli Rehn's stead, from 19 April 2014 to 25 May 2014 while he was on electoral campaign leave for the 2014 elections to the European Parliament and from 1 July 2014 to 16 July 2014 after he took up his seat.[3][4]
After leaving the European Commission, Kallas ran in the Estonian presidential election in 2016, but was not elected. In October 2017, he started as the municipal mayor of Viimsi Parish.[5] In 2019 he was elected member of the Riigikogu, a post he was also elected to in 2023.[6][7] He resigned as a member of Riigikogu and from politics in September 2024.[8][9]
His daughter, Kaja Kallas, was the prime minister of Estonia from 2021 to 2024.
Education
edit- 1966–1969, 1972–1974 Budget and Finance, University of Tartu, specialist
- (1969–1972 Junior Sergeant, Soviet Armed Forces Corps of Signals)
- 1974–1977 Economics of environmental protection, University of Tartu, Candidate of Sciences
Career
edit- 1969–1972 : Signals officer in Soviet Army
- 1975–1979: Specialist at the Finance Ministry Planning Committee of the Estonian SSR
- 1979–1986: Joint Secretary of the Central Authority of the Savings Banks of the Estonian SSR.
- 1986–1989: Deputy chief editor of the Communist Party of Estonia newspaper Rahva Hääl
- 1989–1991: Chairman of the Central Union of the Estonian Trade Unions
- 1989–1991: Member of the Congress of People's Deputies of the Soviet Union
- 1991–1995: President of the Bank of Estonia
- 1995–2004: Member of the Parliament of the Republic of Estonia
- 1995–1996: Minister of Foreign Affairs
- 1996: Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe
- 1999–2002: Minister of Finance
- 2002–2003: Prime minister
- 2004–2004: EU Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs, serving with Joaquín Almunia
- 2004–2010: EU Commissioner for Administrative Affairs, Audit and Anti-Fraud and Vice-president of the Commission
- 2010–2014: EU Commissioner for Transport and Vice-president of the Commission
- 2017–2019: Municipal mayor of Viimsi.
- 2019–2024: Member of the Riigikogu.
Personal life
editKallas' grandfather was Eduard Alver, one of the founders of the Republic of Estonia on 24 February 1918, and the Commander of the Estonian Defence League during the Estonian War of Independence, and the first chief of the Estonian Police from 1918 to 24 May 1919.[10] He speaks Estonian, English, Russian, Finnish, and German. Kallas is of Estonian and distant Baltic German ancestry.
Kallas is married to doctor Kristi Kallas, who, during the Soviet deportations from Estonia, at age six months, was deported to Siberia with her mother and grandmother in a cattle car and lived there until she was 10 years old.[11]
He has one son and one daughter. His daughter Kaja Kallas is the current leader of the Reform party and was the prime minister of Estonia from 2021 to 2024.[12]
References
edit- ^ "The liberal communist". Politico. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
- ^ a b "Top 12 most outstanding Estonian statespeople". Retrieved 25 June 2024.
- ^ "Six commissioners head for EU election campaign trail". EUobserver. 3 April 2014.
- ^ "KUNA : Barroso announces caretaker replacements following resignation of 4 EU Commissioners – Politics – 01/07/2014". kuna.net.kw.
- ^ "Interview: Siim Kallas on ambitions, Estonian politics, and EU presidency". ERR. 9 December 2017. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
- ^ "Elected members of the Riigikogu". rk2019.valimised.ee. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
- ^ "Valimised". rk2023.valimised.ee. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
- ^ Paal, Gunnar (7 September 2024). "Jüri Jaanson becomes a member of the Riigikogu". Riigikogu. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
- ^ ERR, ERR | (6 September 2024). "Former EU commissioner, Reform Party co-founder Siim Kallas leaving Riigikogu". ERR. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
- ^ Even further from Russia: what is known about the new head of the Estonian government, Europeeska Pravda, 26 January 2021
- ^ (in Ukrainian) Even further from Russia: what is known about the new head of the Estonian government, Europeeska Pravda (26 January 2021)
- ^ "Estonia to get first female prime minister | DW | 24.01.2021". Deutsche Welle.