Siim Kallas

Siim Kallas
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 (age 75); Tallinn, Estonia
Political party	Communist Party (Before 1991); Reform Party (1994–present)
Children	2, including Kaja Kallas
Alma mater	University of Tartu

Siim Kallas (Estonian pronunciation: [ˈsiːm ˈkɑlˑɑs]; born 2 October 1948) is an Estonian politician, who most recently 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.

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–: Municipal mayor of Viimsi.

Personal life

Kallas speaks Estonian, English, Russian, Finnish, and German. 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 leader of the Estonian Reform Party. Kallas is of Estonian and Baltic German origin.

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

Criticisms and drawbacks

Avoidance of tackling the issues in public caused him to renounce his candidacy to the office of Prime Minister of Estonia in 2014.^[4]^[5]

References

^ "Six commissioners head for EU election campaign trail". EUobserver.
^ "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.
^ ERR. "UUDISED. Siim Kallas loobus kandideerimast peaministriks. - ERR - Digihoidla". arhiiv.err.ee.
^ "Kallas loobus peaministriks pürgimast". Delfi.

External links

Political offices
Preceded by Rein Otsason	Chairman of the Bank of Estonia 1991–1995	Succeeded by Vahur Kraft
Preceded by Riivo Sinijärv	Minister of Foreign Affairs 1995–1996	Succeeded by Toomas Hendrik Ilves
Preceded by Niels Helveg Petersen	Chairperson of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe 1996	Succeeded by Tarja Halonen
Preceded by Mart Opmann	Minister of Finance 1999–2002	Succeeded by Harri Õunapuu
Preceded by Mart Laar	Prime Minister of Estonia 2002–2003	Succeeded by Juhan Parts
New office	Estonian European Commissioner 2004–2014	Succeeded by Andrus Ansip
Preceded by Pedro Solbes	European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs 2004 Served alongside: Joaquín Almunia	Succeeded by Joaquín Almunia
Preceded by Neil Kinnock as European Commissioner for Administrative Reform	European Commissioner for Administrative Affairs, Audit and Anti-Fraud 2004–2010	Succeeded by Maroš Šefčovič as European Commissioner for Inter-Institutional Relations and Administration
		Succeeded by Algirdas Šemeta as European Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud
Preceded by Antonio Tajani	European Commissioner for Transport 2010–2014	Succeeded by Violeta Bulc

[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] ERR. "UUDISED. Siim Kallas loobus kandideerimast peaministriks. - ERR - Digihoidla". arhiiv.err.ee.

[5] "Kallas loobus peaministriks pürgimast". Delfi.

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[5]

v t e Heads of government of Estonia
Chairman of the Council of Ministers	Päts (Poska)
Prime ministers	Päts (Poska) Strandman Tõnisson Birk Tõnisson Piip
State Elders	Piip Päts Kukk Päts Akel Jaakson Teemant Tõnisson Rei Strandman Päts Teemant Einbund Päts Tõnisson Päts
Prime Minister in Duties of the State Elder	Päts Päts
President-Regent	Päts
Prime ministers	Eenpalu Eenpalu Uluots vacant Tief
Prime ministers in exile	Rei Sikkar Warma Kint Mark Penno
Prime ministers	Savisaar Vähi Laar Tarand Vähi Siimann Laar S. Kallas Parts Ansip Rõivas Ratas K. Kallas

v t e Barroso Commission II (2009–2014)
Foreign Affairs and Security Policy	Catherine Ashton¹ (2010–14)
Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship	Viviane Reding² (2010–2014) Martine Reicherts (2014)
Competition	Joaquín Almunia² (2010–14)
Transport	Siim Kallas² (2010–14)
Digital Agenda	Neelie Kroes² (2010–14)
Industry and Entrepreneurship	Antonio Tajani² (2010–14) Ferdinando Nelli Feroci (2014)
Inter-Institutional Relations and Administration	Maroš Šefčovič² (2010–14)
Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Euro	Olli Rehn² (2010–14) Jyrki Katainen² (2014)
Environment	Janez Potočnik (2010–14)
Development	Andris Piebalgs (2010–14)
Internal Market and Services	Michel Barnier² (2010–14)
Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth	Androulla Vassiliou (2010–14)
Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud	Algirdas Šemeta (2010–14)
Trade	Karel De Gucht (2010–14)
Health	John Dalli (2010-12) Tonio Borg (2012–14)
Research, Innovation and Science	Máire Geoghegan-Quinn (2010–14)
Financial Programming and the Budget	Janusz Lewandowski (2010–14) Jacek Dominik (2014)
Maritime Affairs and Fisheries	Maria Damanaki (2010–14)
International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis	Kristalina Georgieva (2010–14)
Energy	Günther Oettinger² (2010–14)
Regional Policy	Johannes Hahn (2010–14)
Climate Action	Connie Hedegaard (2010–14)
Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy	Štefan Füle (2010–14)
Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion	László Andor (2010–14)
Home Affairs	Cecilia Malmström (2010–14)
Agriculture and Rural Development	Dacian Cioloș (2010–14)
Consumer Policy	Neven Mimica (2013–14)
1 = First Vice President. 2 = Vice President.

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