Laszlo Kovacs Hungarian politician, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary (1994-1998 and 2002-2004) Date of Birth: 03.07.1939 Country: Hungary

Biography of Laszlo Kovacs

Laszlo Kovacs is a Hungarian politician and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary. He served in this role from 1994 to 1998 and again from 2002 to 2004. He also held the position of European Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union from 2004 to 2010.

Kovacs received his education in the field of chemical technology. He later completed evening courses at the Karl Marx University of Economic Sciences in Hungary in 1968, as well as a party school. He initially worked in the pharmaceutical industry and then joined the Hungarian Communist Youth League. In 1975, he began working in various positions in the international department of the Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party.

In 1986, Kovacs became the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Hungarian People's Republic, a role he held until 1989. In 1990, he became a member of the Presidium of the Hungarian Socialist Party, which was later renamed the Hungarian Socialist Party. When the Hungarian Socialist Party came to power in 1994, Kovacs was appointed as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the cabinet of Gyula Horn. He also served as the Chairman of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in 1995.

After the Hungarian Socialist Party moved into opposition, Kovacs was elected as the party's leader in 1998. He also led the party's parliamentary faction until 2000. When the Hungarian Socialist Party returned to power in 2002, Kovacs once again became the Minister of Foreign Affairs, serving in the cabinets of Peter Medgyessy and Ferenc Gyurcsany.

In the autumn of 2004, Kovacs resigned from his positions as Minister and party leader to assume the role of European Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union. Initially, Kovacs was nominated for the position of Minister of Energy, but due to his limited knowledge of the field, he was offered a different position. He was succeeded by Laszlo Andor as the representative of Hungary in the second Barroso Commission formed on February 9, 2010, and Algirdas Semeta took over his position as European Commissioner.

From 2003 to 2008, Kovacs also served as the Vice President of the Socialist International. He is married and has one daughter.