| Mart Laar |
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| estonian politicians | |
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| people from viljandi | |
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Laar is a member of the Pro Patria Union . As well as being a politician, Laar has written several books on Estonian and Russia n history. Laar was also a history teacher in Tallinn , as well as the past president of Council of Historians of the Foundation of the Estonia Inheritance, the Society for the Preservation of Estonia History and the Society of University Students of Estonian. Laar graduated form Tartu University in 1983 , and received his masters degree from the same university in 1995 . On 21 October 1992 Laar was installed by the Riigikogu as Prime Minister, after being appointed to the post by then President Lennart Meri . In an 1994 no-confidence vote, parliament removed the historian from office amid opposition accusations of lying to the people, following murky deals involving the disappearance of millions of Rubles meant to go back to Russia after the Kroon national currency was launched. Five years later, in 1999 , he returned to the post, with his main policy goals being to pull the economy out of a slump and lead the country toward the European Union. He remained in the post until he stepped down in 2002 . Many credit Laar for leading Estonia through lightning economic reforms that won Western praise and ultimately laid the groundwork for rapid economic growth and acceptance to European Union entry talks. It is also believed that Laar's economic reforms led to the Baltic Tiger period starting for Estonia after 2000. But the reforms were tough, and Laar was hurt by scandal concerning the ruble deal and by a multimillion-dollar Israeli arms purchase. Laar was the 2006 recipient of the Cato Institute 's Milton Friedman Prize For Advancing Liberty which is awarded biannually to "an individual who has made a significant contribution to advancing human freedom." |
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