Valdis Zatlers

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Valdis Zatlers

| image = Valdis Zatlers in 2011.jpg

| caption = Zatlers in 2011

| order = 7th

| office = President of Latvia

| primeminister = Aigars Kalvītis
Ivars Godmanis
Valdis Dombrovskis

| term_start = 8 July 2007

| term_end = 8 July 2011

| predecessor = Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga

| successor = Andris Bērziņš

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|03|22|df=y}}

| birth_place = Riga, Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Independent {{small|(Before 2011)}}
Reform Party {{small|(2011–2015)}}

| spouse = Lilita Zatlere

| children = Gustavs
Felicita
Kārlis

| alma_mater = Riga Stradiņš University

| signature = Valdis Zatlers signature.svg

}}

Valdis Zatlers ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|v|æ|l|d|ɪ|s|_|ˈ|z|æ|t|l|ər|z}}; born 22 March 1955) is a Latvian politician and former physician who served as the seventh president of Latvia from 2007 to 2011. He won the Latvian presidential election of 31 May 2007.{{cite news |title= Latvia elects doctor as president |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6707233.stm |publisher=BBC News |date= 31 May 2007 |access-date=1 June 2007 }} He became President of Latvia on 8 July 2007{{cite news |title=Unknown surgeon elected president |url=http://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/18004/ |work=The Baltic Times|date=6 June 2007 |access-date=12 June 2007}} and left office on 7 July 2011 after failing to win reelection for a second term.

Medical career

Valdis Zatlers is an orthopedic surgeon, who graduated from the Institute of Medicine in Riga in 1979. After his studies he worked in Riga Hospital No. 2 and became chief of its traumatology unit in 1985.

In 1986, between May and June, he was dispatched to Ukraine as a medical service officer to support the cleanup operations following the Chernobyl disaster.

He was the director of the Latvian Traumatology and Orthopaedics Hospital from 1994 and chief of its board from 1998. He left these offices on 5 July 2007.{{cite web |url=http://www.president.lv/pk/content/?cat_id=2192 |title=Valdis Zatlers' Curriculum vitae |access-date=15 October 2007 |publisher=Chancery of the President of Latvia |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012225002/http://www.president.lv/pk/content/?cat_id=2192 |archive-date=12 October 2007}}

On 27 April 2007, he received the Order of the Three Stars (Trīs Zvaigžņu Ordenis) of the 4th rank for his contributions in care for health of the patients and promotion of orthopedics in Latvia.{{cite news |url=http://www.apollo.lv/portal/news/72/articles/126550 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120308211058/http://www.apollo.lv/portal/news/72/articles/126550 |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 March 2012 |title=Zatleram piešķirs Triju Zvaigžņu ordeni, Viestura ordeni un Atzinības krustu |date=30 April 2008 |access-date=30 April 2008 |publisher=apollo.lv |language=lv }}

Political career

File:News conference following Russian-Latvian talks.jpg.]]

Valdis Zatlers was a board member of the Popular Front of Latvia in 1988–1989.{{cite news|url=http://eux.tv/article.aspx?articleId=8967 |title=Profile: Valdis Zatlers – surgeon, political newcomer, president |work=eux.tv |date=31 May 2007 |access-date=14 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930190628/http://eux.tv/article.aspx?articleId=8967 |archive-date=30 September 2007 |url-status=dead}}

On 22 May 2007, the ruling parliamentary coalition of the Latvian Saeima officially nominated Zatlers as its presidential candidate.{{cite news |title=Koalīcijas partijas izvirza Zatleru Valsts prezidenta amatam |url=http://www.apollo.lv/portal/news/72/articles/100410/0 |work=apollo.lv |date=22 May 2007 |access-date=1 June 2007 |language=lv |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927022709/http://www.apollo.lv/portal/news/72/articles/100410/0 |archive-date=27 September 2007}} Zatlers himself was not a member of any political party, but had signed the manifesto of the People's Party when the party was founded in 1998. On 2 June 2011 an MP from the Greens and Farmers' Union, Andris Bērziņš, defeated the incumbent, Valdis Zatlers, in presidential elections despite Zatlers having previously been expected to win the vote.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13628945|title=Andris Berzins elected new president in Latvia|date=2 June 2011 |access-date=3 June 2011|work=BBC News }} He founded the Reform Party in July 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/29032/ |title=Latvian political parties undergo major upheaval |publisher=Baltictimes.com |date=12 July 2011 |access-date=18 September 2011}}

=Presidency=

In his TV speech, on 28 May 2011, President Zatlers called for radical reforms to curb the corrupting influence of oligarchs. He accused lawmakers of being soft on corruption and announced that he would use his constitutional powers to initiate a referendum on the dissolution of the current Saeima. The formal cause of this decision was the parliament's refusal to sanction a search at the home of Ainārs Šlesers, a Saeima member and former minister.{{Cite news |url=https://www.delfi.lv/news/national/politics/zatlers-nolemj-atlaist-saeimu.d?id=38755691 |title=Zatlers nolemj rosināt Saeimas atlaišanu |trans-title=Zatlers decides to initiate thedissolution of the Saeima |language=lv |date=28 May 2011 |access-date=28 May 2011 |work=Delfi}} Zatlers was the first President of Latvia to use these reserve presidential powers.{{Cite news |url=https://www.delfi.lv/news/national/politics/zatlers-ir-latvijas-vesture-pirmais-saeimas-atlaisanas-ierosinatajs.d?id=38760423 |title=Zatlers ir Latvijas vēsturē pirmais Saeimas atlaišanas ierosinātājs |trans-title=Zatlers is the first initiator of the Saeima dissolution in Latvian history |language=lv |date=28 May 2011 |access-date=28 May 2011 |work=Delfi}} In the referendum, 94% of the voters had supported Zatlers' decision, and Under the relevant sections of the Constitution of Latvia the Saeima was dismissed and new parliament elections organized.

==Relations with Russia==

File:Dmitry Medvedev greetings 9 May 2010-21.jpeg.]]

He attended the 2010 Moscow Victory Day Parade on Red Square on 9 May, making good on his acceptance of his invitation to attend the 65th VE Day celebrations in Russia that he received in February.{{cn|date=May 2023}} In December 2010, Zatlers made his first official state visit to Moscow. The four-day official visit included talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, as well as Prime Minister Vladimir Putin,{{cite web|url=http://archive.government.ru/eng/docs/13480/print/|title=Prime Minister Vladimir Putin meets with Latvian President Valdis Zatlers|access-date=2023-08-25}} Mayor Yuri Luzhkov and the Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dw.com/en/report-on-soviet-damages-to-latvia-overshadows-visit-to-moscow/a-6354604|title = First visit| website=Deutsche Welle }} While speaking at the Latvia-Russia Business Forum in St. Petersburg on 20 December, he spoke in favor of the introduction of a visa free regime between the EU and Russia. On the final day of the forum, he laid flowers at the Piskaryov Memorial Cemetery.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/27584/|title=Accolades for Zatlers in Moscow}}

Controversy

Before his election he confessed that, as a doctor, he had accepted private donations from his patients. Transparency International has questioned the legality of this practice.{{cite news |title=TI Latvia Asks KNAB, VID To Explain Whether Valdis Zatlers Could be Charged With Criminal Offences for Accepting Payments, Other Benefits From Patients |url= http://www.delna.lv/eng/?q=ful&story=299&sec=181&PHPSESSID=c74aef90a88034d082158851da67c98a |archive-url= https://archive.today/20071213214724/http://www.delna.lv/eng/?q=ful&story=299&sec=181&PHPSESSID=c74aef90a88034d082158851da67c98a |url-status= dead |archive-date= 13 December 2007 | work=delna.lv | access-date=1 June 2007}} Zatlers' supporters point out that donations of this form are accepted by many Latvian doctors. The Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) characterized Zatlers' behaviour as improper and has said that it would not finalize its investigation of the matter for several months.{{cite news |title=Kalvītis: ārstu 'pateicības' ir valdības, nevis Zatlera problēma |url= http://www.delfi.lv/archive/article.php?id=18034178&ndate=1180472400&categoryID=17810707| work=delfi.lv |date=30 May 2007 |access-date=2 June 2007|language=lv}} In July 2008, KNAB ruled that Zatlers had not violated the law by accepting these donations.{{cite news | title=KNAB nesodīs Zatleru par ņemtajām pateicībām, taču ierosina jaunu pārbaudi | url=http://www.tvnet.lv/zinas/article.php?id=553897 | date=22 July 2008 | access-date=23 July 2008|language=lv}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}

Politicians criticized Zatlers for not paying taxes on these gifts.

The State Revenue Service, which had previously requested him to pay taxes on the gifts, unable to fine him for tax evasion, fined Zatlers 250 Lats for missing data in officials declaration.{{cite news |title= VID: Zatleram jāsamaksā nodokļi par 'aplokšņu' atlīdzību|url= http://www.delfi.lv/archive/article.php?id=18064309&ndate=1180558800&categoryID=17810707 |work=delfi.lv |date=31 May 2007 | access-date=2 June 2007|language=lv}}{{cite news |title=Zatlers samaksājis 250 latu sodu par neprecizitātēm ienākumu deklarācijā|url=https://www.delfi.lv/news/national/politics/article.php?id=18371038|work=delfi.lv |date=4 July 2007 | access-date=5 July 2007|language=lv}}

In 2003, Zatlers was the subject of an investigation by KNAB, Latvia's anti-corruption office. The investigation was started based on a request by Āris Auders, a former subordinate of Zatlers who had become the Minister of Healthcare. Auders had accused Zatlers of buying low-quality spinal implants from companies run by Zatlers' wife and the deputy director of Zatlers' hospital. The investigation cleared Zatlers of all charges.{{cite news|title=Zatlers ir prezidents |url=http://www.tvnet.lv/zinas/prezidents/article.php?id=501445 |work=tvnet.lv/LETA |date=31 May 2007 |access-date=2 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070620105628/http://www.tvnet.lv/zinas/prezidents/article.php?id=501445 |archive-date=20 June 2007 |language=lv |url-status=dead}}

Personal life

Valdis Zatlers is married to Lilita Zatlere and has three children. In addition to his native Latvian, he is fluent in English and Russian.

Honours and awards

= National =

50px Commander Grand Cross (1st Class) with Chain of the Order of the Three Stars (2008)
50px Grand Cross (1st Class) of the Order of Viesturs (2008)

= Foreign =

{{flag|Azerbaijan}}: Recipient of the Heydar Aliyev Order (10 August 2009){{Cite web|url=https://1news.az/news/prezident-latvii-nagrazhden-ordenom-geydar-aliev|title=Президент Латвии награжден орденом "Гейдар Алиев"|last=1news|website=1news.az|access-date=2019-09-25}}
{{flag|Croatia}}: Recipient of the Grand Order of King Tomislav (2 September 2008){{Cite web|url=https://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/2008_09_104_3147.html|title=Odluka o odlikovanju Njegove Ekscelencije Valdisa Zatlersa, predsjednika Republike Latvije, Veleredom kralja Tomislava s lentom i Velikom Danicom|website=narodne-novine.nn.hr|access-date=2019-09-25}}
{{flag|Estonia}}: Collar of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana (2 April 2009){{Cite web|url=https://www.president.ee/en/estonia/decorations/bearer/17618/valdis-zatlers|title=Vabariigi President|website=www.president.ee|access-date=2019-09-25}}
{{flag|Finland}}: Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose (2010){{Cite web|url=http://www.ritarikunnat.fi/index.php/fi/ritarikunnat/64-ritarikunnat/palkitut/216-suomen-valkoisen-ruusun-ritarikunnan-suurristin-ketjuineen-saajat-ulkomaalaiset|title=Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ritarikunnan suurristin ketjuineen ulkomaalaiset saajat|website=www.ritarikunnat.fi|access-date=2019-09-25}}
{{flag|Georgia}}: Recipient of the St. George's Order of Victory (9 December 2009){{Cite web|url=http://news.mail.ru/politics/3135063/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140728025131/http://news.mail.ru/politics/3135063/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2014-07-28|title=Саакашвили наградил президента Латвии орденом Святого Георгия - Новости Политики - Новости Mail.Ru|date=2014-07-28|access-date=2019-09-25}}
{{flag|Kazakhstan}}: Recipient of the Order of Friendship (2008){{Cite web|url=http://www.akorda.kz/www/www_akorda_kz.nsf/news-open?OpenForm&idn=3&idno=72CD488F90C4CD76062574D7007BB55C&lang=ru|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007151212/http://www.akorda.kz/www/www_akorda_kz.nsf/news-open?OpenForm&idn=3&idno=72CD488F90C4CD76062574D7007BB55C&lang=ru|url-status=dead|archive-date=2008-10-07|title=Официальный сайт Президента РК :: КАЗАХСТАН|date=2008-10-07|access-date=2019-09-25}}
{{flag|Lithuania}}: Grand Cross with Golden Chain of the Order of Vytautas the Great (7 February 2011){{Cite web|url=http://grybauskaite1.lrp.lt/lt/prezidento_veikla/apdovanojimai/apdovanojimai_256.html|title=Lietuvos Respublikos Prezidentė|website=grybauskaite1.lrp.lt|access-date=2019-09-25|archive-date=8 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808051300/http://grybauskaite1.lrp.lt/lt/prezidento_veikla/apdovanojimai/apdovanojimai_256.html|url-status=dead}}
{{flag|Romania}}: Collar of the Order of the Star of Romania (2011)
{{flag|Spain}}: Collar of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (30 April 2009){{Cite web|url=https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2009-7333|title=BOE.es - Documento BOE-A-2009-7333|website=www.boe.es|access-date=2019-09-25}}
{{flag|Ukraine}}:
Member of the Order of Liberty (26 April 2011){{Cite web|url=http://www.president.gov.ua/documents/13490.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140814135936/http://www.president.gov.ua/documents/13490.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2014-08-14|title=УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ № 502/2011 - Офіційне представництво Президента України|date=2014-08-14|access-date=2019-09-25}}
First Class of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise (25 June 2008){{Cite web|url=https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/cgi-bin/laws/main.cgi?nreg=581/2008|title=Document 581/2008|website=zakon.rada.gov.ua|access-date=2019-09-25}}