Raimonds Vējonis Explained

Raimonds Vējonis
Office:President of the Latvian Basketball Association
Term Start:21 January 2020
Predecessor:Valdis Voins
Office1:9th President of Latvia
Primeminister1:Laimdota Straujuma
Māris Kučinskis
Krišjānis Kariņš
Term Start1:8 July 2015
Term End1:8 July 2019
Predecessor1:Andris Bērziņš
Successor1:Egils Levits
Office2:Minister of Defence
Primeminister2:Valdis Dombrovskis
Laimdota Straujuma
Term Start2:22 January 2014
Term End2:7 July 2015
Predecessor2:Artis Pabriks
Successor2:Raimonds Bergmanis
Office3:Minister of Environmental Protection and Regional Development
Primeminister3:Einars Repše
Indulis Emsis
Aigars Kalvītis
Ivars Godmanis
Valdis Dombrovskis
Term Start3:7 November 2002
Term End3:25 October 2011
Predecessor3:Vladimirs Makarovs
Successor3:Edmunds Sprūdžs
Birth Date:15 June 1966
Party:Green Party
Alma Mater:University of Latvia

Raimonds Vējonis (born 15 June 1966) is a Latvian politician who served as the 9th President of Latvia from 2015 to 2019 and the president of the Latvian Basketball Association since 2020.

He is a member of the Latvian 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] Since 2020 he is the president of Latvian Basketball Association.

Early life and career

Vējonis was born on 15 June 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 kolkhoz.[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 Regional Environmental board, during this period he also was a board member in Skulte port and served as state representative at Getliņi Eko waste management company.[4]

Political career

In 2002, Vējonis became Minister of Environmental Protection and Regional Development.[5]

He was elected as President of Latvia on 3 June 2015, receiving the votes of 55 of the 100 members of the Saeima. He used his victory speech to promise to ensure national security, in light of events in Ukraine, while protecting the environment. He became the first head of state in the European Union to be a member of a green party.

Post-presidency

In January 2020, Vējonis was elected to a four-year term as president of the Latvian Basketball Association by a wide margin.[6]

Personal life

In 1986, he married Iveta Vējone, a teacher and former first lady. The couple have two sons, Ivo and Nauris.[3] Vejonis speaks fluent Russian[7] and decent English in addition to Latvian.

Health problems

On 18 January 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 was transferred to the Latvian Cardiology Center at Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital.[8] [9] The press counselor of the president initially did not disclose the nature of the illness and suggested that the president had a viral infection. However, independent medical experts theorized that Vējonis probably had an infective endocarditis. On 20 January Vējonis underwent 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.[10] [11] 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.[12]

Vējonis left hospital on 26 February to undergo physical therapy at National Rehabilitation Center "Vaivari".[13] 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.[14]

Honours

National Honours
Foreign Honours

References

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Latvia: Raimonds Vējonis . . 2010-04-17 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101119024151/http://www.mk.gov.lv/en/mk/sastavs/vejonis . 2010-11-19 .
  2. News: Vējonis - militāri zaļais kompromiss. Zirnis. Egīls. 21 February 2014. Diena. lv. 3 June 2015.
  3. News: Collier. Mike. Sibierski. Mary. Latvia elects Vejonis, EU's first Green president. 5 June 2015. Agence France-Presse. Yahoo!. 3 June 2015.
  4. News: Jaunais Latvijas Valsts prezidents - Raimonds Vējonis. 3 June 2015. Lsm.lv. lv. 4 June 2015.
  5. News: Collier. Mike. Latvia provides EU's first "green" president - Raimonds Vējonis. June 3, 2015. Public Broadcasting of Latvia. June 4, 2015.
  6. Web site: Raimonds Vējonis becomes a president again. eng.lsm.lv. en. 2020-04-28.
  7. Web site: Latvia's "President with an Accent:" Raimonds Vejonis. Foreigncy.us. 27 January 2019.
  8. Web site: Vējonis šorīt nogādāts Gaiļezera slimnīcā. Skaties.lv. 27 January 2019.
  9. Web site: Prezidenta veselības stāvokli vērtē kā apmierinošu; nozīmēta ārsta uzraudzība. 18 January 2016. Tvnet.lv. 27 January 2019.
  10. News: Paparde. Inga. Kardioķirurgi glābj prezidentu. 2 February 2016. NRA. 21 January 2016.
  11. Web site: Prezidenta Vējoņa sirds operācija noslēgusies. Lsm.lv. 27 January 2019.
  12. News: Cielava. Ieva. Kas apdraudēja prezidenta sirdi? (preciz.). 2 February 2016. Ir.lv. 26 January 2016.
  13. News: President Vējonis to leave hospital. February 26, 2016. Public Broadcasting of Latvia. April 1, 2016.
  14. News: President to resume duties next week. March 23, 2016. Public Broadcasting of Latvia. April 1, 2016.
  15. Web site: Vabariigi President. www.president.ee. May 29, 2019.
  16. Web site: Latvijas Valsts prezidenta mājaslapa. www.president.lv. May 29, 2019.
  17. Web site: State visit to Latvia - program - News item - Royal House of the Netherlands. Ministry of General. Affairs. 18 May 2018. Royal-house.nl. 27 January 2019.
  18. Web site: УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №387/2018 Про нагородження Р.Вейоніса орденом князя Ярослава Мудрого. president.gov.ua. 2018-11-22. uk.