Former Estonian Prime Minister Siim Kallas dies at 77

Former Estonian Prime Minister Siim Kallas has died at the age of 77 on the night to Saturday. The news was shared on social media by his daughter Kaja Kallas, who currently serves as the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. She wrote that she was announcing with grief that her beloved father had died that night.

A long political career

Siim Kallas served as Estonia's prime minister from 2002 to 2003. He later spent a decade, from 2004 to 2014, as Vice-President of the European Commission. Earlier in his career he held several key government posts, serving as foreign minister from 1995 to 1996 and as finance minister from 1999 to 2002.

Role in restoring Estonia's independence

After Estonia restored its independence, Kallas headed the Bank of Estonia from 1991 to 1995. During that period he was responsible for introducing the national currency, the kroon, and for preparing the 1992 monetary reform, a key step in the country's economic independence.

Siim Kallas was also one of the founders of Estonia's Reform Party and led it for many years, during which it became one of the most influential political forces in Estonian politics.