Estonian Prime Minister, Andrus Ansip today stated that the current term will be his last. He will step down at the latest in 2015 - the year for elections in Estonia.
As Chairman of the Reform Party and Prime Minister Andrus Ansip has led Estonia’s government since April 2005, when a new coalition was formed between elections. Before this he held the portfolio of Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications.
As the leader of the party that won the elections, Andrus was asked to form a government in both 2007 and 2011. From 1998 to 2004 Andrus held the post of Mayor of Tartu. His previous service record goes back to private businesses operating in trade and banking, but he was also one of the founders of Radio Tartu. He is a chemist by education – he graduated from Tartu State University in 1979 and later studied agronomy at the Estonian Academy of Agriculture.
Responding to a query from the Center Party during question hour 27 March, Ansip said the state-owned energy company Eesti Energia would not be listed on the stock exchange during his time in office.
“As I have declared that this election period will be my last in the office of prime minister, I can confidently say that it will not be possible to list the shares on the stock exchange in the time remaining,” he said.
Ansip first made remarks about his last term in February 2012, but questions have been raised over whether he meant that only in a case where the government collapsed before elections. He later made a remark that seemed to indicate that he might prefer to retain party leadership and take the Reform Party into new elections, which are scheduled for 2015.
On the subject of the energy sector, Ansip said due diligence would be complicated following the still-crystallizing situation on the power market following deregulation in January.
“I am certain that the current time is not right for listing Eesti Energia, as too much is up in the air in the field of energy.”
“What is up in the air, exactly?” he continued. “First of all, we don’t know exactly what Eesti Energia’s economic results will be in the conditions of complete opening of the electricity market. And if we can’t forecast it exactly, we will not be able to forecast the true and fair price we want to get for the shares from the markets.”
He said the investments into oil production were not yet generating a return, as the new plant is currently still in testing mode.
“What the output of the plant will be, we do not know. If we don’t, it would not be the right time to have the shares listed on the market.”
In terms of hobbies, Andrus enjoys sport, particularly skiing and cycling. Whenever possible, he takes part in local and international ski marathons.
Andrus is married and a father to three daughters.
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CV
Date and place of birth: 1 October 1956, Tartu
Education:
1979 Tartu State University, majored in Organic Chemistry
1974 Tartu Secondary School no. 5
Further education:
1992 York University, Toronto, Business Management
1987–1989 Estonian Academy of Agriculture, majored in Agronomy
2000 British Council’s training sessions in Brussels, Dublin and Edinburgh
Career:
2005–present Prime Minister in the coalition government of the Reform Party, the Pro Patria and Res Publica Union and the Social Democratic Party, later in the coalition government of the Reform Party and the Pro Patria and Res Publica Union
2005–2007 Prime Minister in the coalition government of the Reform Party, Central Party and the People’s Union of Estonia
2004–2005 Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications in the coalition government of the Res Publica party, Reform Party and People’s Union of Estonia
1998–2004 Mayor of Tartu
1995–1996 Livonia Privatization IF, Chairman of the Board
1995–1996 Fondijuhtide AS (Fundmanager Ltd) – a fund manager for SEIF (a privatisation investment fund), Chairman of the Management Board
1994–1998 Tartu Commercial Bank, Bankruptcy Trustee
1994–1998 Radio Tartu Ltd, Chairman of the Board
1994–1996 Estonian Social Bank, Head of Tartu Department; North Estonian Bank, Deputy Head of Tartu Department
1993–1995 Rahvapank (People’s Bank), Member of the Board of Directors
1993–1994 AS Rondam, Chairman of the Management Board and General Director
1989–1993 Joint Venture Estkompexim, Head of Tartu regional office
1986–1988 Estonian Communist Party, Tartu District Committee, Instructor of Industry Department, Head of Organisational Department