Raimonds Vējonis

Raimonds Vējonis
9th President of Latvia
Incumbent
Assumed office 8 July 2015
Prime Minister	Laimdota Straujuma Māris Kučinskis
Preceded by	Andris Bērziņš
Minister of Defence
In office 22 January 2014 – 7 July 2015
Prime Minister	Valdis Dombrovskis Laimdota Straujuma
Preceded by	Artis Pabriks
Succeeded by	Raimonds Bergmanis
Minister of Environmental Protection and Regional Development
In office 7 November 2002 – 25 October 2011
Prime Minister	Einars Repše Indulis Emsis Aigars Kalvītis Ivars Godmanis Valdis Dombrovskis
Preceded by	Vladimirs Makarovs
Succeeded by	Edmunds Sprūdžs
Personal details
Born	(1966-06-15) 15 June 1966 Pskov Oblast, Soviet Union (now Russia)
Political party	Green Party
Spouse(s)	Iveta Vējone
Alma mater	University of Latvia

Raimonds Vējonis (Rájmonds Véjonis; born June 15, 1966) is the current President of Latvia, in office since 2015. He is a member of the Green Party, part of the Union of Greens and Farmers. He served as Minister of Environmental Protection and Regional Development in 2002 and in 2011 and as Minister of the Environment from 2003 to 2011, while the Ministry of Regional Development was a separate department. He became Minister of Defence of Latvia in 2014 and held that office until becoming President in 2015.^[1]

Early life and career

Vējonis was born on June 15, 1966 in Pskov Oblast to a Latvian father and a Russian mother, while his father was serving in the Soviet army there. He grew up in Sarkaņi and attended school in the nearby town of Madona.^[2] Vējonis became interested in environmental protection because his grandfather had been blinded by chemicals used on a Soviet collective farm.^[3] He graduated from Faculty of Biology of the University of Latvia in 1989 and obtained a master's degree from it in 1995. During his studies he worked as a biology teacher in Madona. From 1989 to 1996 he was deputy director of Madona Regional Environmental board. He was a member of Madona city council from 1990 to 1993. From 1996 to 2002 he was director of Greater Riga R in Skulte port and served as state representative at Getliņi Eko waste management company.^[4]

Political career

Vējonis became Minister of Environmental Protection and Regional Development on 7 November 2001.

Health problems

On January 18, 2016 Vējonis was hospitalized. He was first transported to the Toxicology and sepsis clinic of the Riga East Clinical University Hospital branch Gaiļezers, but a day later transferred to the Latvian Cardiology Center at Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital.^[5][6] The press counselor of the president initially did not disclose the nature of the illness and suggested that the president has a viral infection. However independent medical experts theorized that Vējonis probably has an infective endocarditis. On January 20 Vējonis underwent an emergency open heart surgery to eliminate the source of infection in which the heart valve damaged by Sepsis was replaced with an artificial heart valve.^[7][8] Later on unnamed sources told the press that the illness was likely caused by untreated tonsillitis, the press counselor of the president, while still refusing to disclose exact diagnosis, confirmed that the president had been having issues with his throat and his voice had been very hoarse.^[9]

Vējonis left hospital on 26 February to undergo physical therapy at National Rehabilitation Center "Vaivari".^[10] He was reported to be doing some work during his illness, but fully resumed his official duties on 30 March after spending more than two months recovering.^[11]

References

Presidents of Latvia
Čakste Kalniņš Zemgals Kviesis K. Ulmanis none (1940-1991) G. Ulmanis Vīķe-Freiberga Zatlers Bērziņš Vējonis