Anatolijs Gorbunovs, also known as Anatoly Valeryanovich Gorbunov (Russian: Анато́лий Валериа́нович Горбуно́в; born 10 February 1942), is a Latvian politician who served as the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet during the final years of the Soviet regime in Latvia and as Chairman of the Supreme Council of Latvia during the first years after the country regained its independence.
Anatolijs Gorbunovs | |
|---|---|
Анатолий Горбунов | |
 Gorbunovs in 2015 | |
| Speaker of the Saeima | |
| In office 6 July 1993 – 7 November 1995 | |
| Preceded by | Position established (Himself as Chairman of the Supreme Council) |
| Succeeded by | Ilga Kreituse |
| Chairman of the Supreme Council | |
| In office 3 May 1990 – 6 July 1993 | |
| Preceded by | Position established (Himself as Chairman of the Supreme Soviet) |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished (Himself as Speaker of the Saeima Guntis Ulmanis as President of Latvia) |
| Chairman of the Supreme Soviet | |
| Preceded by | Aleksandrs Drīzulis |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished (Himself as Chairman of the Supreme Council) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 February 1942 |
| Political party | Latvian Way |
| Other political affiliations | Communist Party of Latvia (until 1991) |
In the latter capacity he was effectively the acting head of state before the election of the Fifth Saeima in 1993. He continued to serve as the Speaker of the Saeima until 1995.
Political career
editFrom 1974 to 1988, he held various positions in the Communist Party of Latvia, with his highest position being the Secretary of the Central Committee. Unlike many other Communist Party members in Latvia, Gorbunovs supported the Latvian independence movement. From 1988 to 1990 he was also Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet. In 1990, he presided over a session of the Supreme Soviet that declared the Soviet Union an occupying power, voided Latvia's accession to the Soviet Union, and began a transitional period to independence. Gorbunovs remained as chairman of the body, renamed the Supreme Council of Latvia, until 1993. When Latvian independence was restored de facto in 1991. As speaker of the parliament, Gorbunovs became State President per the 1922 Constitution until 1993, when Guntis Ulmanis was elected president.[1]
Gorbunovs joined the Latvian Way party in 1993 and was elected as Speaker of the Saeima, a post he held until 1995. He remained a member of parliament until 2002. Between 1995 and 2002, he served as Minister of Regional Development, Minister of Transportation and Deputy Prime Minister.
Awards
edit- Order of the Badge of Honour (USSR, 1981)
- Order of the Three Stars, 2nd Class (1995)[1][2]
- Order of the Dannebrog, Commander 1st Class (Denmark, 1997)[3]
- Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana, 1st Class (Estonia, 2002)[4]
- Medal of the Baltic Assembly (2011)[5]
- The Cicero Award (Latvian: Cicerona balva) of the Latvian Academy of Sciences (2012)[6]
Notes
edit- ^ Upon the expiration of Kviesis's term, Prime minister Kārlis Ulmanis illegally merged the Presidency and the Premiership, holding both offices himself. After the Soviet occupation Prime Minister Augusts Kirhenšteins was the illegitimate Acting President from 21 July to 25 August 1940
References
edit- ^ a b "Triju Zvaigžņu ordenis, Anatolijs Gorbunovs" (in Latvian). gramata21.lv. Retrieved 2008-12-02.
- ^ "Par apbalvošanu ar Triju Zvaigžņu ordeņiem - Latvijas Vēstnesis". Latvijas Vēstnesis (in Latvian). 1995-11-08. Archived from the original on 2021-05-06. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
- ^ "Dānijas Karalistes apbalvojumi Latvijas Republikas pilsoņiem". Latvijas Vēstnesis (in Latvian). 1997-03-21. Archived from the original on 2020-10-27. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
- ^ "Satiksmes ministrs: Saņemot Igaunijas valsts apbalvojumu". Latvijas Vēstnesis (in Latvian). 2002-02-26. Archived from the original on 2021-05-06. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
- ^ "Saeimā pasniegs Baltijas Asamblejas medaļas". Saeima of the Republic of Latvia (in Latvian). 2011-11-07. Archived from the original on 2021-05-06. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
- ^ "Senatora togas un zobena pretstāves laikā - Latvijas Vēstnesis". Latvijas Vēstnesis (in Latvian). 2012-01-06. Archived from the original on 2021-05-06. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
External links
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