Siim Kallas

Siim Kallas (Estonian pronunciation: [ˈsiːm ˈkɑlːɑs]; born 2 October 1948) is an Estonian politician, who served as European Commissioner for Transport between 2010 and 2014. Before that he was European Commissioner for Administrative Affairs, Audit and Anti-Fraud between 2004 and 2009. In both Barroso Commissions he was also vice-president.

Siim Kallas
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
Personal details
Born	2 October 1948 Tallinn, Estonia
Political party	Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Before 1991) Reform Party (1994–present)
Spouse(s)	Kristi Kallas
Children	2, including Kaja Kallas
Alma mater	University of Tartu

Kallas has been Prime Minister of Estonia, Estonian Minister of Finance, Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Member of the Supreme Council of the Soviet Union and member of the Riigikogu. Kallas is a member and former leader of the free-market liberal Estonian Reform Party. Kallas was a vice-president of Liberal International.

He was twice appointed Acting Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Euro in Olli Rehn's stead, from 19 April 2014 – 25 May 2014 while he was on electoral campaign leave for the 2014 elections to the European Parliament and from 1 July 2014 – 16 July 2014 after he took up his seat.[1][2]

After leaving the Commission, Kallas run in the Estonian presidential election in 2016, but was not elected. In October 2017, he started as the municipal mayor of Viimsi Parish.[3]

Education

• 1966–1969 Budget and Finance, University of Tartu, BSc
• 1969–1972 Junior Sergeant, Soviet Armed Forces Corps of Signals.
• 1972–1974 Economics of environmental protection, University of Tartu, MSc
• 1974–1977 Economics of environmental protection, University of Tartu, Kandidat Nauk (PhD).

Career

• 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 Supreme Council 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.

Personal life

Siim Kallas at the electromobility summit 2013 in Berlin

Kallas speaks Estonian, English, Russian, Finnish, and German. Kallas is of Estonian and Baltic German origin. He also has passive knowledge of French. Married to doctor Kristi Kallas, he has one son and one daughter, Kaja, who is a former member of the European Parliament and the current Estonian prime minister and the leader of the Estonian Reform Party. During the Soviet deportations from Estonia his wife Kristi Kallas, 6 months old at the time, was deported to Siberia with her mother and grandmother in a cattle car and lived there until she was 10 years old.[4]

Kallas has been an active participant in the restoration of Estonian statehood.

Controversy

Kallas' inability to address some politically controversial issues in public caused him to renounce his candidacy for the office of Prime Minister of Estonia in 2014.[5][6]

References

1. "Six commissioners head for EU election campaign trail". EUobserver.
2. "KUNA : Barroso announces caretaker replacements following resignation of 4 EU Commissioners – Politics – 01/07/2014". kuna.net.kw.
3. "Interview: Siim Kallas on ambitions, Estonian politics, and EU presidency". ERR. 9 December 2017. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
4. (in Ukrainian) Even further from Russia: what is known about the new head of the Estonian government, Europeeska Pravda (26 January 2021)
5. ERR. "UUDISED. Siim Kallas loobus kandideerimast peaministriks. - ERR - Digihoidla". arhiiv.err.ee.
6. "Kallas loobus peaministriks pürgimast". Delfi.

External links

• Siim Kallas, Official Media Gallery
• Official website
• KALLAS Siim International Who's Who
• European Parliament Answers to Commissioner Designate M. Kallas