Kristiina Ojuland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kristiina Ojuland
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 28 January 2002 – 8 February 2005 |
|
| Prime Minister | Siim Kallas Juhan Parts |
| Preceded by | Toomas Hendrik Ilves |
| Succeeded by | Rein Lang |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 December 1966 Kohtla-Järve, Estonia |
| Political party | Reform Party, People's Unity Party |
Kristiina Ojuland (born 17 December 1966 in Kohtla-Järve, Estonia) is an Estonian politician. She served as the Foreign Minister of Estonia from 2002 to 2005. She was a member of the Estonian Reform Party for many years.
From 2009 to 2014, she was one of Estonia's representatives in the European Parliament. This is a group of people who help make laws for countries in Europe. She later started a new political group called the Party of People's Unity.
Contents
Education and Early Career
Kristiina Ojuland's Schooling
Kristiina Ojuland studied law at the University of Tartu, finishing in 1990. She also attended special programs at the Estonian School of Diplomacy in Tallinn in 1992. In 1993, she studied at the Vienna School of International Studies.
Starting Work in Government
From 1990 to 1992, Ojuland worked for the Estonian Ministry of Justice. She helped write new laws. In 1992, she joined the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There, she worked on topics related to the Council of Europe.
In 1993, she became Estonia's main representative to the Council of Europe for a year. After that, she became the Director of the Estonian Broadcasting Association.
Political Life and Roles
Joining the Reform Party
In 1994, Kristiina Ojuland became a politician. She joined the Riigikogu, which is Estonia's parliament. She also became part of the parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee.
In 1995, she joined the Estonian Reform Party. She became their spokesperson for foreign affairs. She also held important roles in European political groups.
Serving as Foreign Minister
Kristiina Ojuland was the Estonian minister of foreign affairs from 2002 to 2005. After this, she led the European Affairs Committee in the Riigikogu from 2004 to 2007.
In 2004, she tried to become the secretary-general of the Council of Europe, but she was not chosen for the role. From 2007 to 2009, she was the first vice-speaker of the Estonian parliament.
Member of European Parliament
From 2009 to 2014, Kristiina Ojuland was a Member of the European Parliament (MEP). She was part of the ALDE group. She also served as Vice President of the ELDR.
In 2013, she was no longer a member of the Reform Party. This happened because of claims about how votes were counted.
Founding a New Party
In 2014, Ojuland started a new political group called the Party of People's Unity. She became its leader. This party tried to win seats in the Estonian parliament in 2015 and 2019. However, they did not win any seats. The party was later closed in 2019.
Awards and Honors
Kristiina Ojuland has received several important awards for her work:
- *Commander of the Legion of Honour* from France.
- *Grand Cross of the Order of Infante D. Henrique* from Portugal.
- *The Order of the National Coat of Arms 5th class* from Estonia.
- *Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Star* for Services to the Republic of Austria (2007).
Personal Life
Kristiina Ojuland was married to Erik Siigur from 1987 to 2000. Later, her partner was a businessman named Raimo Kägu.
Other Activities
In 2007, Kristiina Ojuland took part in the second season of Tantsud tähtedega. This is an Estonian TV show similar to Dancing with the Stars. She danced with a professional partner named Aleksandr Makarov.
