{{Short description|Estonian politician (born 1948)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Siim Kallas | image = Kallas EC Portrait 2010.jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2010 | image_upright = 1 | office = [[European Commissioner for Transport]] | president = [[José Manuel Barroso]] | term_start = 9 February 2010 | term_end = 1 November 2014 | predecessor = [[Antonio Tajani]] | successor = [[Violeta Bulc]] | office1 = [[List of European Commission portfolios#Administrative Affairs, Audit and Anti-Fraud|European Commissioner for Administrative Affairs, Audit and Anti-Fraud]] | president1 = [[José Manuel Barroso]] | term_start1 = 22 November 2004 | term_end1 = 9 February 2010 | predecessor1 = [[Neil Kinnock]] (Administrative Reform) | successor1 = [[Maroš Šefčovič]] ([[European Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud#Inter-Institutional Relations and Administration|Inter-Institutional Relations and Administration]])<br />[[Algirdas Šemeta]] ([[European Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud|Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud]]) | office2 = [[European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs|European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs]] | president2 = [[Romano Prodi]] | term_start2 = 1 May 2004 | term_end2 = 22 November 2004<br />Served with [[Joaquín Almunia]] | predecessor2 = [[Pedro Solbes]] | successor2 = [[Joaquín Almunia]] | office3 = [[Prime Minister of Estonia]] | president3 = [[Arnold Rüütel]] | term_start3 = 28 January 2002 | term_end3 = 10 April 2003 | predecessor3 = [[Mart Laar]] | successor3 = [[Juhan Parts]] | office4 = [[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Estonia)|Minister of Foreign Affairs]] | prime_minister4 = [[Tiit Vähi]] | term_start4 = 9 November 1995 | term_end4 = 21 November 1996 | predecessor4 = [[Riivo Sinijärv]] | successor4 = [[Toomas Hendrik Ilves]] | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1948|10|2}} | birth_place = [[Tallinn]], then part of [[Estonian SSR]], Soviet Union<!--See: Wikipedia talk:Manual of Style/Infoboxes#RFC: Baltic states birth infoboxes)--> | spouse = Kristi Kallas | children = 2, including [[Kaja Kallas|Kaja]] | death_date = | death_place = | party = [[Estonian Reform Party|Reform]] (since 1994) | alma_mater = [[University of Tartu]] | office5 = Member of the [[Riigikogu]] | term_start5 = 3 March 2019 | other_party = [[Communist Party of the Soviet Union]] (until 1991) | relatives = [[Eduard Alver]] (grandfather) | term_end5 = 7 September 2024 | module = {{Listen|pos=center|embed=yes|filename=Siim Kallas voice.ogg|title=Siim Kallas's voice|type=speech|description=Kallas announcing Estonia's intention to pursue European Union candidate status<br/>Recorded 4 December 1995}} }}
'''Siim Kallas''' ({{IPA|et|ˈsiːːm ˈkɑlːɑs}}; born 2 October 1948) is an Estonian former politician who served as [[Prime Minister of Estonia]] from 2002 to 2003 and as a [[European Commission]]er from 2004 to 2014.<ref>{{cite web|title=The liberal communist|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/the-liberal-communist/|publisher=Politico|access-date=25 August 2023}}</ref>
From 1972 to 1990 Kallas was a member of the [[Communist Party of the Soviet Union]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/estonias-commission-nominee-defends-communist-past/ |title= Estonia's Commission nominee defends communist past |date=March 17, 2004 |publisher=Politico |access-date=December 21, 2025}}</ref> He worked in the finance ministry of [[Estonian SSR]] and was the director of the Estonian branch of [[State Labor Savings Banks System of the USSR|State Labor Savings Banks System]] in 1986–1989.<ref name=wef>{{cite web |title=Siim Kallas |url=https://www.weforum.org/people/siim-kallas/ |website=World Economic Forum |access-date=21 June 2025}}</ref> 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.<ref name="World">{{cite web |title=Top 12 most outstanding Estonian statespeople |url=https://estonianworld.com/people/top-12-most-outstanding-estonian-statespeople/ |access-date=25 June 2024}}</ref> Kallas was the chief editor of ''[[Rahva Hääl]]'', the official newspaper of the [[Communist Party of Estonia]], in 1989–1991.<ref name=wef/> He 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 the Soviet Union.
After Estonia restored its independence in 1991, Kallas was appointed the President of the [[Bank of Estonia]], which at the time had only 11 employees. Within a year a coherent structure of the bank was set up and on 20 June 1992, Estonia's own currency, the [[Estonian kroon|kroon]], was back in circulation for the first time since 1941.<ref name="World" />
Kallas entered politics in 1994 as one of the founders of liberal [[Estonian Reform Party]], which was successful in the [[1995 Estonian parliamentary election|1995 parliamentary elections]]. Kallas served as the [[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Estonia)|minister of foreign affairs]] from 1995 to 1996. He later served as the [[Minister of Finance (Estonia)|minister of finance]] from 1999 to 2002 and the prime minister 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 Commission]]s he was also a [[Vice-President of the European Commission|Vice-President]]. He was twice appointed the [[European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Euro|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 European Parliament election in Estonia|2014 elections]] to the [[European Parliament]] and from 1 July 2014 to 16 July 2014 after he took up his seat.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://euobserver.com/news/123733|title=Six commissioners head for EU election campaign trail|work=EUobserver|date=3 April 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2385629&language=en|title=KUNA : Barroso announces caretaker replacements following resignation of 4 EU Commissioners – Politics – 01/07/2014|work=kuna.net.kw}}</ref>
After leaving the European Commission, Kallas ran in the Estonian [[2016 Estonian presidential election|presidential election]] in 2016, but was not elected. In October 2017, he started as the municipal mayor of [[Viimsi Parish]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.err.ee/647659/interview-siim-kallas-on-ambitions-estonian-politics-and-eu-presidency|title=Interview: Siim Kallas on ambitions, Estonian politics, and EU presidency|publisher=ERR|date=9 December 2017|access-date=10 December 2017}}</ref> In 2019 he was elected member of the [[Riigikogu]], a post he was also elected to in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Elected members of the Riigikogu |url=https://rk2019.valimised.ee/en/election-result/elected-members.html |access-date=2024-09-08 |website=rk2019.valimised.ee}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Valimised |url=https://rk2023.valimised.ee/en/elected-members/index.html |access-date=2024-09-08 |website=rk2023.valimised.ee}}</ref> He resigned as a member of Riigikogu and from politics in September 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Paal |first=Gunnar |date=2024-09-07 |title=Jüri Jaanson becomes a member of the Riigikogu |url=https://www.riigikogu.ee/en/press-releases/others/juri-jaanson-becomes-a-member-of-the-riigikogu/ |access-date=2024-09-08 |website=Riigikogu |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=ERR |first=ERR {{!}} |date=2024-09-06 |title=Former EU commissioner, Reform Party co-founder Siim Kallas leaving Riigikogu |url=https://news.err.ee/1609445915/former-eu-commissioner-reform-party-co-founder-siim-kallas-leaving-riigikogu |access-date=2024-09-08 |website=ERR |language=en}}</ref>
His daughter, [[Kaja Kallas]], was the prime minister of Estonia from 2021 to 2024.
==Education== *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== *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 [[Confederation of Estonian Trade Unions|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 [[Riigikogu|the Parliament of the Republic of Estonia]] *1995–1996: Minister of Foreign Affairs *1996: [[Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe|Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe]] *1999–2002: Minister of Finance *2002–2003: Prime minister *2004–2004: [[European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs|EU Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs]], serving with Joaquín Almunia *2004–2010: [[European Commissioner for Administrative Affairs, Audit and Anti-Fraud|EU Commissioner for Administrative Affairs, Audit and Anti-Fraud]] and vice-president of the Commission *2010–2014: [[European Commissioner for Transport|EU Commissioner for Transport]] and vice-president of the Commission *2017–2019: Municipal mayor of [[Viimsi]]. *2019–2024: Member of the [[Riigikogu]].
==Personal life== [[File:Siim Kallas 8.JPG|thumbnail|left|upright|Siim Kallas at the electromobility summit 2013 in Berlin]] Kallas' grandfather was [[Eduard Alver]], one of the founders of the [[History of Estonia (1920–39)|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.<ref name="7118974KajaKallas">[https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/articles/2021/01/26/7118974/ Even further from Russia: what is known about the new head of the Estonian government], [[Ukrayinska Pravda|Europeeska Pravda]], 26 January 2021</ref> 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.<ref name="7118974SiimKallas">{{in lang|uk}} [https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/articles/2021/01/26/7118974/ Even further from Russia: what is known about the new head of the Estonian government], [[Ukrayinska Pravda|Europeeska Pravda]] (26 January 2021)</ref>
He has one son and one daughter. His daughter [[Kaja Kallas]] was the leader of the Reform party and the prime minister of Estonia from 2021 to 2024,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dw.com/en/estonia-to-get-first-female-prime-minister/a-56330397|title=Estonia to get first female prime minister | DW | 24.01.2021|website=[[Deutsche Welle]] }}</ref> after which she became [[High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy|EU Representative for Foreign Affairs]].
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category}} *[http://ec.europa.eu/avservices/2010/mediaGallery.cfm?&gallery=yes&sitelang=en#3108 Siim Kallas, Official Media Gallery] *[http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/kallas/index_en.htm Official website] *[http://www.worldwhoswho.com/views/entry.html?id=kal-0056 KALLAS Siim] [[International Who's Who]] *[http://www.europarl.europa.eu/hearings/commission/2004_comm/pdf/speca_kallas_en.pdf European Parliament Answers to Commissioner Designate M. Kallas] {{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=[[Rein Otsason]]}} {{s-ttl|title=Chairman of the [[Bank of Estonia]]|years=1991–1995}} {{s-aft|after=[[Vahur Kraft]]}} |- {{s-bef|before=[[Riivo Sinijärv]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Estonia)|Minister of Foreign Affairs]]|years=1995–1996}} {{s-aft|after=[[Toomas Hendrik Ilves]]}} |- {{s-bef|before=[[Niels Helveg Petersen]]}} {{s-ttl|title=Chairperson of the [[Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe]]|years=1996}} {{s-aft|after=[[Tarja Halonen]]}} |- {{s-bef|before=[[Mart Opmann]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Minister of Finance (Estonia)|Minister of Finance]]|years=1999–2002}} {{s-aft|after=[[Harri Õunapuu]]}} |- {{s-bef|before=[[Mart Laar]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Prime Minister of Estonia]]|years=2002–2003}} {{s-aft|after=[[Juhan Parts]]}} |- {{s-new|office}} {{s-ttl|title=[[List of European Commissioners by nationality#Estonia|Estonian European Commissioner]]|years=2004–2014}} {{s-aft|after=[[Andrus Ansip]]}} |- {{s-bef|before=[[Pedro Solbes]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs|European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs]]|years=2004|alongside=[[Joaquín Almunia]]}} {{s-aft|after=[[Joaquín Almunia]]}} |- {{s-bef|rows=2|before=[[Neil Kinnock]]|as=European Commissioner for Administrative Reform}} {{s-ttl|rows=2|title=[[List of European Commission portfolios#Administrative Affairs, Audit and Anti-Fraud|European Commissioner for Administrative Affairs, Audit and Anti-Fraud]]|years=2004–2010}} {{s-aft|after=[[Maroš Šefčovič]]|as=[[European Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud#Inter-Institutional Relations and Administration|European Commissioner for Inter-Institutional Relations and Administration]]}} |- {{s-aft|after=[[Algirdas Šemeta]]|as=[[European Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud]]}} |- {{s-bef|before=[[Antonio Tajani]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[European Commissioner for Transport]]|years=2010–2014}} {{s-aft|after=[[Violeta Bulc]]}} {{s-end}} {{EstonianPMs}} {{European Commissioner for Administrative Affairs}} {{European Commissioner for Transport}} {{First Barroso Commission}} {{Second Barroso Commission}} {{EU Finance Commissioners}} {{European Commissioners from Estonia}} {{Members of the 15th Riigikogu}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Kallas, Siim}} [[Category:1948 births]] [[Category:Chairmen of the Bank of Estonia]] [[Category:Estonian European commissioners]] [[Category:Estonian people of Baltic German descent]] [[Category:Estonian Reform Party politicians]] [[Category:Finance ministers of Estonia]] [[Category:Government ministers of Estonia]] [[Category:Grand Crosses with Star and Sash of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany]] [[Category:Leaders of political parties in Estonia]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Members of the Congress of People's Deputies of the Soviet Union]] [[Category:Members of the Riigikogu, 1995–1999]] [[Category:Members of the Riigikogu, 1999–2003]] [[Category:Members of the Riigikogu, 2003–2007]] [[Category:Members of the Riigikogu, 2019–2023]] [[Category:Members of the Riigikogu, 2023–2027]] [[Category:Ministers of foreign affairs of Estonia]] [[Category:Politicians from Tallinn]] [[Category:Prime ministers of Estonia]] [[Category:Recipients of the Order of the National Coat of Arms, 1st Class]] [[Category:Recipients of the Order of the National Coat of Arms, 2nd Class]] [[Category:Resigned Communist Party of the Soviet Union members]] [[Category:University of Tartu alumni]]