Andris Bērziņš (Latvian President)

Andris Bērziņš was born 10 December 1944 in Nītaure, Latvian SSR, Soviet Union. In 1958 he completed studies at a Nītaure primary school and attended the 1st secondary school of Sigulda from 1958 to 1962. He then began studying at the Riga Polytechnical Institute,[3] which he graduated in 1971, and became a radio engineer at the "Elektrons" factory. He worked his way up to the director and in 1988 was appointed deputy minister of municipal services of the Latvian SSR. He also studied at the Economics Faculty of the Latvian State University, which he graduated in 1988.[3]

In 1989 Bērziņš was elected to the Valmiera district Council (Soviet) of People's Deputies and was appointed chairman of the district's executive committee. In 1990 he was elected to the Supreme Council of the Latvian SSR, representing Valmiera. He joined the Latvian Popular Front faction in the Supreme Council. On 4 May 1990, he voted in favour of the declaration that restored the independence of the Republic of Latvia.

After the completion of his term as deputy in 1993, Bērziņš became chairman of the Privatization Fund of the Bank of Latvia.[4] He also became president of Latvijas Unibanka (a joint-stock company; 1993–2004).[5] Bērziņš became a successful businessman and his estate exceeded 1 000 000 lats (by the mid 2000s). He also owned 30 various land properties. Bērziņš worked as an advisor to the president of the SEB Bank Latvian branch and was a board member of several joint-stock companies, including Valmieras stikla šķiedra and Lode Brickworks.

Andris Bērziņš returned to politics in 2005 when he unsuccessfully ran for the office of Mayor of Riga as the leader of the Union of Greens and Farmers party list. From 2006 to 2010 he served as the president of the Latvian Chamber of Industry and Commerce and was also Latvenergo's board chairman (until 2009).

In 2010 Andris Bērziņš was elected deputy of the Saeima from the slate of candidates presented by the Union of Greens and Farmers.[6]

Andris Bērziņš married Dace Seisuma a couple of days before assuming office as President. It is his second marriage.[16] He has 5 children. His uncle was a casualty of the Soviet deportations from Latvia, dying in what is now Tajikistan in 1943.[17] Aside from his native Latvian, he also speaks Russian and English fluently and German on a relatively good level.[18] When questioned on his use of Russian instead of Latvian at certain events, he said that "The question of language is often politicized, because it is a very cheap way to conduct an election campaign".[19] He has also encouraged Latvians to start to learn Russian alongside English.[20] On 3 September 2012, Bērziņš threatened TV news crew which was filming him coming alongside his son on the first day of the school year: "Guys, you want me to beat you over the head? It's been a long time since you've been beaten?..."[21]

• Order of the Three Stars Class I with chain (2011)[22][23][24]
• Order of Viesturs Class I (2011)
• The Cross of Recognition Class I (2011)[22]
• Commander of Order of the Three Stars (2000)[22]
• Commemorative pin for participants in the 1991 barricades (1996)[22]
• Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav (2015)[25]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Andris Bērziņš.

• Chancery of the President of Latvia
• Bērziņš speaking in Russian to Mixtv