Estonia is mourning the loss of one of the key figures in regaining its independence from the Soviet Union more than 30 years ago: Former Prime Minister of today’s EU and NATO country, Edgar Savisaar, died on Thursday at the age of 72.
“Savisaar was one of the great personalities of the Estonian political landscape and played an important role in building the new independent Estonia,” the State Chancellery in Tallinn paid tribute to the deceased.
A good three decades ago, Savisaar decisively advanced the independence of the small Baltic Sea state in north-eastern Europe. He was considered the inspiration for the “Baltic Way”, the 600-kilometer human chain from Tallinn to Vilnius in 1989. He headed the interim government and became the first head of government in Estonia, which had been independent again since 1991. In 1992 he had to resign.
With the left-wing Center Party, which he led until 2016, he later took over the interior and economic ministries. His career was overshadowed by numerous scandals and several party financing and corruption affairs. “Without Edgar Savisaar, three decades of Estonian politics would have been more boring and less colourful,” wrote President Alar Karis.