Andrus Ansip Prime Minister of Estonia. Date of Birth: 01.10.1956 Country: Estonia

Andrus Ansip - Prime Minister of Estonia, Chairman of the Reform Party

Andrus Ansip is the Prime Minister of Estonia and the Chairman of the Reform Party. He has been a member of the party since its founding in 1994. Ansip's political career began in 1998 when he served as the Mayor of Tartu from 1998 to 2004. In the fall of 2004, he became the Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications of Estonia, and in April 2005, he assumed the position of the Prime Minister of the Republic.

Biography

Andrus Ansip was born on October 1, 1956, in Tartu, Estonian SSR. He completed his education at School No. 5 in Tartu in 1974 and graduated from the Chemical Faculty of Tartu State University in 1979. After graduation, Ansip worked at the university's Department of Organic Chemistry until 1981.

From 1981 to 1983, Ansip served in the Estonian SSR Armed Forces on the Baltic Fleet. After completing his military service, he returned to Tartu University. Ansip was a member of the Communist Party of the Estonian SSR and held various positions within the party, including as an instructor in the Industrial Department and chairman of the organizing committee of the Tartu District Committee.

In 1989, Ansip ventured into business and held leadership positions in several companies, including Estkompexim, AS Rondam, and Social Bank's Tartu branch. He was also a member of the board of directors of the National Bank from 1993 to 1995, chairman of the board of Tartu Radio from 1994 to 1998, and held managerial positions in the Livonian Privatization Investment Fund and Fondijuhtide AS. From 1994 to 1998, Ansip was the trustee in bankruptcy of Tartu Commercial Bank.

In November 1994, Ansip co-founded the Reform Party and became a member of its board. In September 1998, he was elected as the Mayor of Tartu and was re-elected to the position in October 1999 and November 2002. Ansip's tenure as mayor was marked by his ability to ensure the smooth functioning of the city's services, earning him popularity among the residents of Tartu.

In September 2004, Ansip was appointed as the Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications of Estonia. In November 2004, he was elected as the Chairman of the Reform Party. In April 2005, Ansip was appointed and confirmed as the Prime Minister of Estonia. In the parliamentary elections in March 2007, Ansip received a record-breaking 22,267 votes from the electorate, and the Reform Party, led by him, secured the first place and obtained 31 parliamentary mandates.

Andrus Ansip is married and has three daughters and two grandchildren. He is a member of the Lutheran Church and is fluent in Estonian, English, and Russian. In his free time, Ansip enjoys cycling and skiing.