Kalev Ots
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| Kalev Ots | |
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8st President of the, pre-WW II, Republic of Estonia
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 28 November 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Mihkel Mathiesen |
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| Born | January 11, 1949 |
| Political party | Centre Party of Estonian Citizens |
| Spouse | Kersti Müürsepp |
| Profession | Engineer |
Kalev Ots (January 11, 1949) is an Estonian statesman. He is the Prime Minister in the capacity of the President of the Republic (Peaminister Vabariigi Presidendi ülesandeis) of the internationally unrecognized government in exile of the pre-World War II Republic of Estonia, on ground of the Estonian constitution of 1938. He succeeded in this post to Mihkel Mathiesen.
Ots was born in Valma, Tänassilma municipality, Viljandi district, on northwest shore of Lake Võrtsjärv as a son of Valter Ots (born 1920 – died 1956) and Linda Tihane (born 1924, married 1946). He with his family escaped deportation on March 25 of the same year, two months after his birth, though his father was imprisoned by Soviets in June. Valter would be killed in a car accident in 1956, shortly after his release. His mother married a second time in 1957 to Olev Varres (born 1924 – died 2003), former Soviet prisoner.
Kalev Ots graduated from Tallinn Technical University (then Tallinn Polytechnical Institute) in 1973 and began work in various research posts in Tallinn, 1971 – 1992. He was graduated Cand. Sc. Techn. in Moscow, 1987. He has not been a member of the Communist Party nor communist youth organizations.
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[edit] Military Service
Having fulfilled his compulsory military service in the Soviet Army and promoted to senior lieutenant, Kalev Ots gave up this rank because of being a citizen of a state occupied by the Soviet Union. In 1990 he was one of the restorers of Defence League, what was then loyal to Government in exile, and was appointed the commander of Harju Territorial Regiment, on August 19, 1991 (approved on April 7, 1992 by the Minister of War in exile) and as such participated in defence of Tallinn radio house against Soviet Army following day. He was promoted captain on September 5, 1991, by Heinrich Mark, then Prime Minister in the capacity of the President of the Republic in exile, and decorated with third rank of the White Cross of Defence League, on June 30, 1992. He left this post after so called Ellamaa battle (against Russian occupation forces, on July 19, 1992).
From October 23, 1992 the Defence League was subordinated to the command of the second republic. On this cause Kalev Ots was compelled to conclude a service contract with the Defence League from June 1, 1993 for three years. During this time he served on various posts in the Defence League and the defence forces. Because his rank was not recognized, the rank of lieutenant was given him on June 22, 1993 (which he did not accept) and captain on February 21, 1994, both by Lennart Meri, president of the second republic. In 1995 he passed through an advanced training course in the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies, in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. He left military service of the second republic for ethical reasons, being a member of government of another state, in 1996.
[edit] Political activities until 1992
Kalev Ots was a member of the Party of National Independence of Estonia (Eesti Rahvusliku Sõltumatuse Partei, ERSP) from February 24, 1989 and an active participant in registration of citizens of the, pre-WW II, Republic of Estonia for election of the Congress of Estonia, temporary body of representatives of Estonia, as the Chairman of the Committee of Estonian Citizens in Nõmme town. He was elected a member of the Congress of Estonia on March 1, and the Committee of Estonia on October 27, 1990. In the Congress he was one of the most active proponents of the Estonian government in exile. When the leadership of ERSP had came to collaboration with the successor state of Estonian SSR (which adopted the name of Republic of Estonia from May 8, 1990, informally known as the second republic), he left this party on March 16, 1991 and became one of the founders of Centre Party of Estonian Citizens (Eesti Kodanike Keskerakond, EKKE) on October 19, 1991. When the 10th session of the Congress of Estonia without any quorum decided to dismiss the Congress, on September 28, 1992, he, as several others, declared this decision void and that he will not cede his credentials as a member of the Congress of Estonia.
[edit] Government
Heinrich Mark and the government in exile appointed by him, announced on July 16, 1992, that they will lay their activities and will cede their credentials to the newly elected Riigikogu on October 5, 1992, in Tallinn. On September 15 of the same year Kalev Ots with the others signed a protest to Heinrich Mark against this act, resisting the new constitution as a new redaction of the constitution of Estonian SSR, passed by citizens of Estonian SSR during continuing Russian occupation. On the same day Mihkel Mathiesen, after assuming Presidency, in Nõmme, Estonia, appointed and adjured Kalev Ots the Acting Prime Minister and the Minister of Public Education as his eventual successor.
After failing of reconciliation with Heinrich Mark (in order to convince him to revoke his above-mentioned declaration dated July 16, 1992) in Stockholm, on October 4, 1992, principles of Kalev Ots's government were proclaimed in Tallinn, on October 5, simultaneously with the beginning of the first session of Riigikogu:
- this government will continue to preserve constitutional continuity until the actual end of the occupation;
- it does not intend to aspire to actual power, but does plan to remain in legal and democratic extraparliamentary opposition;
- it regards the parliament (riigikogu) and the government constituted by that parliament to be an interim (that is to say situated between the Estonian SSR ant the to-be restituted Republic of Estonia) mechanism of power formed under conditions of occupation and through occupation-era laws;
- it intends to transfer its mandate to the Parliament or President, but only after elections which will take place after the actual end of the occupation.
Same day Kalev Ots returned to Estonia, coincidentally on board the same ship as Heinrich Mark.
On November 22, 1992, a Declaration was passed by the Government of Republic, stating that persons who are naturalized citizens of the successor state of Estonian SSR are not guaranteed to become citizens of the eventually restored Republic of Estonia.
On December 6, 1992, the Government passed the detailed conditions for the end of Russian military occupation. These conditions were totally ignored on claimed withdrawal of Russian forces from Estonia in 1994 and they are not fulfilled until today.
[edit] Presidency
Kalev Ots succeeded Mihkel Mathiesen in Presidency on the latter's death, on November 28, 2003. He appointed and adjured Ahti Mänd Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Justice as his eventual successor on December 7, 2003.
[edit] Family
Kalev Ots married in 1975 to Kersti Müürsepp and they have a son and a daughter. From 1975 he lives in Nõmme town near Tallinn, that was united with Tallinn at the beginning of Soviet occupation, 1940, and at present it is a borough of Tallinn. He has participated in several organizations and in local self-government of Nõmme borough. He is a member of Defence League.
[edit] Kalev Ots's Government, September 15, 1992 - December 7, 2003
- Kalev Ots (until November 28, 2003) - Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Public Education
- Paul Muuli (died August 17, 1997) - Minister of Economic Affairs and Minister of Agriculture
- Viktor Imala (died May 21, 1998) - Minister of Justice and Minister of Interior
- Hando Kruuv - Minister of Social Affairs and Minister of Communications
- Harri Henn (until April 15, 1993) - Minister of War and Minister of Foreign Affairs
- Edgar Salin (from April 19, 1993) - Minister of Foreign Affairs and (from December 12, 1998) Minister of Economic Affairs
- Johannes Mikkola (from April 23, 1993 - died January 31, 2002) Minister of War and (from December 12, 1998) Minister of Agriculture
- Jaan Audru (from December 12, 1998) - Minister of Justice and Minister of Interior
[edit] Remarks
- On Kalev Ots's succession to Presidency, Hando Kruuv became technical head of government as its oldest member.
- Edgar Salin and Johannes Mikkola were both appointed on April 15, 1993, but assumed their posts on April 19 and April 23, respectively.
