Siim Kallas

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.

Siim Kallas
European Commissioner for Transport
In office
9 February 2010 – 1 November 2014
PresidentJosé Manuel Barroso
Preceded byAntonio Tajani
Succeeded byVioleta Bulc
European Commissioner for Administrative Affairs, Audit and Anti-Fraud
In office
22 November 2004 – 9 February 2010
PresidentJosé Manuel Barroso
Preceded byNeil Kinnock (Administrative Reform)
Succeeded byMaroš 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
PresidentRomano Prodi
Preceded byPedro Solbes
Succeeded byJoaquín Almunia
14th Prime Minister of Estonia
In office
28 January 2002 – 10 April 2003
PresidentArnold Rüütel
Preceded byMart Laar
Succeeded byJuhan Parts
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
9 November 1995 – 21 November 1996
Prime MinisterTiit Vähi
Preceded byRiivo Sinijärv
Succeeded byToomas Hendrik Ilves
Personal details
Born (1948-10-02) 2 October 1948
Tallinn, Estonia
Political partyCommunist Party (Before 1991)
Reform Party (1994–present)
Children2, including Kaja Kallas
Alma materUniversity 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–: Municipal mayor of Viimsi.

Personal life
Siim Kallas at the electromobility summit 2013 in Berlin

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
  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.
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
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