Mart Laar

Mart Laar, Estonia

"During the Soviet era, Mart Laar attempted to document the resistance to the Soviets during the 1940s and 1950s, which caused him to lose his teaching post at Tartu University. He gained fame in 1988 when he was threatened with an indictment for anti-Soviet "slander" after his articles were published in the reformist press. Mr. Laar led the Fatherland Faction of the Estonian Supreme Council during 1990-92. After Estonia regained its independence, he served as Prime Minister from 1992-94 and again in 1999, was a founding member and Chairman of the Pro Patria Union party, and served in Estonia's Parliament."


 * White House "Champion of Freedom" (2005)
 * International Committee for Democracy in Cuba
 * Founding Council Member, European Council on Foreign Relations
 * Editorial Board, Demokratizatsiya