Mart Laar
The geopolitical reorientation of Estonia was followed by changes in international economic relations. Estonia went from near total dependence on the Soviet Union for trade before 1991[5] to a large decoupling of trade with Russia by 2007, Russia being about 9% of its total trade (4th largest trade partner). Since 2004, Estonia is a full member of both the European Union and NATO. In 2007, the EU accounted for 70% of Estonia's exports and 78% of its imports, while the share of the CIS countries were accordingly 11% and 13%.[6]
Trade with countries of the former Soviet Union, mainly with Russia and including EU members Latvia and Lithuania, makes up about quarter of Estonian foreign trade.[6]
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Recognition
The results of the radical reforms have been recognized by Transparency International (which ranked Estonia the least corrupt country in the post-communist region), the Heritage Foundation / Wall Street Journal (whose index qualified Estonia as the most economically free in all of Europe), the United Nations Development Program (whose Human Development Index measured Estonia’s rapid rise in such quality-of-life parameters as education, health, income and environment), and the Cato Institute, which awarded Laar the Milton Friedman Prize for Advancing Liberty in 2006.[1] The Acton Institute awarded Dr. Laar their Faith & Freedom Award on October 24, 2007. The World Bank's Doing Busines project has several times recognized Estonia as the top reformer in improving the business environment. Estonia is currently ranked 17 (of 178 economies) on the ease of doing business index.
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Recent activities
Laar has been involved in assisting and counseling other democratic activists and reformers in the region and beyond, including in Yugoslavia (before 2000), Moldova, Ukraine (before 2004), Mexico (after its own transition in 2000) and Cuba (the Miami-Dade city council in Florida enacted a "Mart Laar Day" in 2003). Together with Václav Havel, Filip Dimitrov, Árpád Göncz, Petr Pithart, Vytautas Landsbergis, Patricio Aylwin and other transition leaders, he participates in the International Committee for Democracy in Cuba.
Laar is a member of the International Council of the New York-based Human Rights Foundation.
In 2003, Laar received the Wharton Infosys Business Transformation Award for his contributions to the development of the electronic systems in Estonia.
After the Rose Revolution in Georgia, Laar became advisor to President Saakashvili and assisted his government in carring out radical liberal reforms.
Laar was the 2006 recipient of the Cato Institute's Milton Friedman Prize for Advancing Liberty which is awarded biannually to "an individual who has made a significant contribution to advancing human freedom."
In September 2006, Laar announced that he will come out of political retirement to run for the candidacy for Prime Minister of the new Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica party.
In January 2007, it was announced that Mart Laar would become a Mont Pelerin Society member.
On 26 May 2007 he was elected a Chairman of the Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica.
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Relationship with the media
In 1994, the Estonian Newspaper Association declared Laar the Year's Press Friend. This was the first time this award was given; since that, it has been a yearly occurrence.[7]
Interestingly, in 2001, Laar was given the complementary award and titled the Year's Press Enemy.[8]
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References
- ^ Europe Review 2003/04: The Economic and Business Report By World of Information ISBN 0749440678
- ^ "Interview with Mart Laar" Guatemala, September 2006
- ^ "The Baltic Tiger: how Estonia did it" Conference at Francisco Marroquin University. Guatemala, September 2006
- ^ Walking on Water: How to Do It, 27 August 2005
- ^ Romuald Misiunas, Rein Taagepera, The Baltic States: Years of Dependence, 1940-1990, University of California Press, 1993, ISBN:0520082273
- ^ a b Last year the growth of exports and imports slowed down
- ^ Eesti Ajalehtede Liit 3 December 1998: Ajalehtede Liit valis viiendaks pressisőbraks president Meri
- ^ Eesti Ajalehtede Liit 6 December 2001: 2001. aasta pressisőbraks valiti Ingrid Rüütel
| Preceded by Tiit Vähi |
Prime Minister of Estonia 1992 - 1994 |
Succeeded by Andres Tarand |
| Preceded by Mart Siimann |
Prime Minister of Estonia 1999 - 2002 |
Succeeded by Siim Kallas |
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