Ivars Godmanis
Ivars Godmanis | |
|---|---|
 Prime Minister Godmanis (left) greets U.S. Ambassador Charles Larson, Jan. 2009 | |
| Prime Minister of Latvia | |
| Assumed office 20 December 2007 | |
| President | Valdis Zatlers |
| Preceded by | Aigars Kalvītis |
| In office 07 May 1990 – 03 August 1993 | |
| President | Guntis Ulmanis |
| Preceded by | Vilnis-Edvīns Bresis |
| Succeeded by | Valdis Birkavs |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 27 November 1951 Riga, Latvian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Political party | Latvian Way, which runs in parliament together with the Latvia's First Party. |
Ivars Godmanis (born November 27 1951) is a Latvian politician. He was the first Prime Minister of Latvia after the country became independent from the Soviet Union, and he became a Prime Minister for the second time in December 2007.
He was born in Riga. Godmanis served as Prime Minister from 1990 to 1993, focusing primarily on Latvia's difficult economic transition from a communist to a capitalist economy. He later served as Finance Minister from 1998 to 1999. Though originally associated with the Latvian Popular Front, he moved to the Latvian Way party after the Latvian Popular Front ceased. In November 2006, following elections in which the Latvia's Way Party in union with Latvia's First Party returned to Parliament, Godmanis became the Minister of Interior.
On December 14 2007, Godmanis was nominated as Prime Minister by President Valdis Zatlers.[1] He was approved by parliament on December 20, with 54 votes in favor and 43 opposed.[2]
On June 18, 2008, he was injured in a car accident.[3]
On September 19, 2008, he replaced Roger Taylor at drums with Queen and Paul Rogers performance "All Right Now" in concert in Riga.[4]
In 1995 Godmanis was awarded with the Order of the Three Stars. [5]
Economic problems and corruption charges have caused the popularity of the current cabinet to plummet. In January 2008, anti-government protests turned into worst riots since re-gaining independence in 1991[6].
References
- ^ "Godmanis nominated for prime minister", The Baltic Times, December 19, 2007.
- ^ "Latvia’s old coalition back in power", Reuters (The Peninsula Online), December 21, 2007.
- ^ "Latvian PM fractures skull in Riga car accident", AFP (Canada.com), Wednesday, June 18, 2008.
- ^ http://www.brianmay.com/queen/queennews/queennewssep08b.html#65
- ^ "Triju Zvaigžņu ordenis" (in Latvian). gramata21.lv. Retrieved 2008-12-02.
- ^ http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/34cc61da-e215-11dd-b1dd-0000779fd2ac.html
External links