Death of Estonian Prime Minister and former European Commissioner Siim Kallas at 77

Siim Kallas, the former Prime Minister of Estonia and long-serving European Commissioner, has died at the age of 77.

Kallas was responsible for Estonia’s destiny for longer than any other individual since the country gained independence in 1991, having served as Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Finance, and Governor of the Central Bank.

Following Estonia’s accession to the European Union in 2004, which he helped negotiate, Kallas was appointed as a European Commissioner.

As Vice-President of the European Commission in Brussels, Kallas was initially responsible for internal administration, audit, and anti-fraud efforts. In 2010, he became the Transport Commissioner.

In 2019, he was elected to the Estonian Parliament but resigned in 2024, withdrawing from political life for reasons partly linked to health issues.