Eva-Maria Liimets
{{Short description|Estonian politician (born 1974)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Eva-Maria Liimets
| image = Eva-Maria Liimets (crop).jpg
| caption =
| office = Minister of Foreign Affairs
| primeminister = Kaja Kallas
| term_start = 26 January 2021
| term_end = 3 June 2022
| predecessor = Urmas Reinsalu
| successor = Andres Sutt (acting)
| office2 = Estonian Ambassador to Czech Republic, Slovenia and Croatia
| term_start2 = 2017
| term_end2 = 2021
| predecessor2 =
| successor2 =
| party = Independent (2021, 2024–present)
| otherparty = Centre Party (2021–2024)
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|5|31|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Tallinn, Estonia
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater = University of Tartu (BA)
Estonian Business School (MBA)
}}
File:Eva-Maria Liimets 2021. aasta Arvamusfestivalil.jpg, Estonia]]
Eva-Maria Liimets (born 31 May 1974){{Cite web|title=Eva-Maria Liimets|url=https://www.valitsus.ee/en/prime-minister-ministers/minister-foreign-affairs-eva-maria-liimets|access-date=29 January 2021|website=Estonia Government}} is an Estonian politician. She served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the cabinet of Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.{{Cite news|date=26 January 2021|title=New foreign minister wants to bring her expertise to Center and government|work=ERR|url=https://news.err.ee/1608086413/new-foreign-minister-wants-to-bring-her-expertise-to-center-and-government|access-date=27 January 2021}}{{Cite news|date=24 January 2021|title=Estonia politics: Kaja Kallas to become Baltic nation's first female prime minister|work=Euronews|url=https://www.euronews.com/2021/01/24/estonia-politics-kaja-kallas-to-become-baltic-nation-s-first-female-prime-minister|access-date=27 January 2021}} She was nominated by the Estonian Centre Party as an independent in January 2021 and officially joined the party on 9 June 2021.{{cite news |last1=Turovski |first1=Marcus |title=From prefect to interior minister: Jaani to help Center beat corruption |url=https://news.err.ee/1608084445/from-prefect-to-interior-minister-jaani-to-help-center-beat-corruption |access-date=29 January 2021 |work=ERR |date=24 January 2021 |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Foreign, interior ministers join Center Party |date=9 June 2021 |url=https://news.err.ee/1608240036/foreign-interior-ministers-join-center-party |publisher=ERR News |access-date=9 June 2021}} Along with all seven cabinet ministers of the governing coalition’s junior partner, she was dismissed on 3 June 2022.{{Cite web |date=2022-06-03 |title=Estonian PM removes coalition partner from government |url=https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/estonian-pm-removes-coalition-partner-from-government |access-date=2022-06-07 |website=edmontonsun |language=en-CA}}
Early life
She has a degree in public administration from the University of Tartu and a master’s degree in international business management (MBA) from the Estonian Business School. She is a graduate of the 19th International Training Course in Security Policy at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP).{{Cite news|date=24 August 2018|title=Estonian Ambassador to the Czech Republic Eva-Maria Liimets presents her credentials|work=Ministry of Foreign Affairs|url=https://vm.ee/en/news/estonian-ambassador-czech-republic-eva-maria-liimets-presents-her-credentials-0|access-date=20 February 2021}}
Civil service
She served as Estonia's ambassador to the Czech Republic with credentials also to Slovenia and Croatia.
Minister of Foreign Affairs (2021-2022)
Shortly after Liimets took office, the foreign ministry announced an "arctic month" starting from 28 January 2021, amid plans by Estonia to apply for observer status at the Arctic Council in 2021. "Developments in the Arctic should be a concern for everyone, as the climate change there affects the whole world," Liimets said.{{cite news |title=Estonian ForMin launches month-long series of Arctic-themed events |url=https://www.baltictimes.com/estonian_formin_launches_month-long_series_of_arctic-themed_events/ |date=28 January 2021 |access-date=29 January 2021 |work=The Baltic Times |author=BNS/TBT Staff}} Shortly before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in December 2021 Liimets stated that there needed to be sanctions against Russia for its "potential aggression" on Ukraine's borders and said Russia was a security threat.{{cite news |title=Liimets: EU must respond to potential aggression on Ukraine's border |url=https://news.err.ee/1608436241/liimets-eu-must-respond-to-potential-aggression-on-ukraine-s-border |access-date=5 April 2025 |work=ERR |date=15 December 2021 |language=en}} After the start of the invasion, Liimets became a strong supporter of Ukraine stating that there must be international pressure on Russia.{{cite news |last1=Brennan |first1=David |title=Weakened Russia Could See Democracy Replace Putin Regime—Estonia |url=https://www.newsweek.com/weakened-russia-democracy-replace-putin-regime-estonia-eva-maria-liimets-ukraine-1706691 |access-date=5 April 2025 |work=Newsweek |date=14 May 2022}} She also supported the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO.
Post-ministerial career
Since leaving the post she has been ESTDEV's programme manager for Democracy and the Rule of Law, where she has supported Ukraine's accession to the European Union.{{cite web |title=“You are not alone!” — Estonia shares EU accession experience with Ukraine and Moldova |url=https://estdev.ee/en/articles/you-are-not-alone-estonia-shares-eu-accession-experience-ukraine-and-moldova |website=ESTDEV |access-date=5 April 2025 |language=en |date=18 December 2024}} In January 2024, she left the Centre Party citing too much confusion in the party's image and messages and the departure of like-minded people in the party.{{cite news |title=Keskerakonnast lahkub ka endine välisminister Eva-Maria Liimets |url=https://www.postimees.ee/7932410/keskerakonnast-lahkub-ka-endine-valisminister-eva-maria-liimets |access-date=5 April 2025 |work=Postimees |date=5 January 2024 |language=et}}
Personal life
Liimets is divorced and is the mother of one child.{{cite web |title=Eva-Maria Liimets |url=https://www.valitsus.ee/eva-maria-liimets |website=www.valitsus.ee |access-date=5 April 2025 |language=et}} In addition to her native Estonian, she speaks English, German, Italian, and Russian.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.valitsus.ee/en/prime-minister-ministers/minister-foreign-affairs-eva-maria-liimets Eva-Maria Liimets], Estonia Government
{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=Urmas Reinsalu}}
{{s-ttl|title=Minister of Foreign Affairs|years=2021–2022}}
{{s-aft|after=Andres Sutt
Acting}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Liimets, Eva-Maria}}
Category:Politicians from Tallinn
Category:Women government ministers of Estonia
Category:21st-century Estonian politicians
Category:21st-century Estonian women politicians
Category:Ministers of foreign affairs of Estonia
Category:Female foreign ministers
Category:Ambassadors of Estonia to Croatia
Category:Ambassadors of Estonia to the Czech Republic
Category:Ambassadors of Estonia to Slovenia
Category:University of Tartu alumni