Valdis Zatlers
Valdis Zatlers ( born March 22, 1955 in Riga) was July 8, 2007 to July 8, 2011 President of Latvia. He is a doctor in the civilian job. In April 2007, Zatlers was awarded the Latvian Three - Star Order of the fourth degree. His family name is a Latvian borrowing of the German name Sattler and is pronounced accordingly.
Professional career
Zatlers is an orthopedic surgeon, he graduated at the Institute of Medicine Riga in 1979. Upon completion of his studies, he took up a position in the second hospital in Riga and in 1985 head of the local emergency surgery. From 1994 until his inauguration as President Zatlers was Director of Orthopaedic and Trauma Hospital Riga.
In the years 1990 and 1991 Zatlers spent five and two months at the U.S. universities Yale and Syracuse. He participated in the medical care of the victims of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Zatlers speaks fluent Russian and Latvian also mastered English.
Political career
Valdis Zatlers was in 1988 and 1989 board member of the Latvian People's Front.
Only a short time before the election, on 22 May 2007, the ruling center-right coalition nominated him officially as a presidential candidate. Zatlers was at that time no party, but in 1998 became a signatory to the founding program of the Latvian People's Party.
Zatlers won on 31 May 2007 at the vote of the Latvian Parliament 58 of 98 votes against the enemy designated as corruption candidate Aivars Endziņš which its uncritical attitude towards the former Soviet regime was accused. Endziņš was openly supported by a Latvian NGO, whereas Zatlers illegal acceptance of funds for medical treatment is maintained. Although such payments in Latvia are quite common, but Zatlers refused in first interview after his election to respond to the receipt of " envelopes".
The former President Vaira Vike -Freiberga expressed in advance critical of both candidates, but agreed only a deputy of the Saeima, Karina Pētersone, the candidate was even temporarily, against both candidates. On July 8, 2007 Vaira Vike -Freiberga Zatlers superseded in office.
28 May 2011 Zatlers applied to the Constitutional Court the dissolution of Parliament. The Parliament had refused earlier to waive the immunity of deputies Ainārs Šlesers, is to be determined against the corruption. The Latvian anti-corruption authority was due to shady machinations an investigation against Šlesers, one of the richest men in the country hard. In a televised address Zatlers called for a consistent fight against corruption. The Latvian population withdrew its application on July 23, 2011 in a referendum on the dissolution of Parliament by a large majority.
At the scheduled election of the new President in Parliament on June 2, 2011 Zatlers received in the second ballot 41 of 100 votes; Andris Berzins his opponent united 53 votes. Zatlers was supported by the ruling Vienotība Alliance and the national conservative opposition parties Tēvzemei un Brīvībai / LNNK and Visu Latvijai, while the reigning CCS, the oligarch block Par Labu Latviju! ( LPP / LC and Tautas partija combined ) and the pro-Russian Saskaņas Centrs majority voted for Berzins.
On July 23, 2011, the date of the referendum initiated by him, Zatlers formed a new party with the name Zatlera Reformu partiju ( ZRP ).
Private life
Valdis Zatlers is married, has three children and his hobbies are cooking, sculpture and music. In summer 2012 he had to undergo surgery for cancer and was therefore less politically active.