17 Facts About Edgar Savisaar

Edgar Savisaar was an Estonian politician, one of the founding members of Popular Front of Estonia and the Centre Party.

From 1980 to 1988, Edgar Savisaar worked in the Soviet Estonian governmental institutions dealing with planning of the economy.

Edgar Savisaar's government was in office until 29 January 1992, when he resigned after supplementary problems and a continuing decline in economy.

Edgar Savisaar managed to win a vote of non-confidence, being mostly supported by his Popular Front, left-wing parties and the Intermovement, but stepped down when it turned out impossible to introduce a state of emergency.

Edgar Savisaar was replaced by a technocratic government under Tiit Vahi.

From 1992 until 1995, Edgar Savisaar was the Vice-Speaker of the Estonian Parliament.

Edgar Savisaar received the Order of the National Coat of Arms 2nd Class in 2001 and 1st Class in 2006 from Estonia and the Order of the Three Stars 2nd Class in 2005 from Latvia.

Edgar Savisaar was one of the most controversial politicians in Estonia.

Edgar Savisaar was often associated with using Machiavellian politics and deals to achieve his goals, such as taping other politicians, which caused the so-called tape scandal in 1995; and while being the mayor of the Estonian capital Tallinn, real-estate deals that were good for the members of the Centre Party, but were bad for the town.

On 22 September 1995, a tape scandal broke out in Estonia when Edgar Savisaar was accused of secretly recording political consultations with Prime Minister Tiit Vahi and the chairman of the Reform Party, Siim Kallas, after the 1995 parliamentary elections.

Edgar Savisaar is suspected of accepting bribes with a value of hundreds of thousands of euros in 2014 and 2015 on behalf of himself and Estonian Centre Party.

Edgar Savisaar married three times and was the father of four children.

From his marriage to Kaire Edgar Savisaar he had a son Erki Edgar Savisaar, who is a Centre Party politician.

In March 2015, Edgar Savisaar was hospitalized due to an infection of streptococcus bacteria in his right leg which had to be amputated above the knee.

Edgar Savisaar contracted the disease during a trip in Thailand.

In 2018 Edgar Savisaar was freed from political corruption trial as court determined him seriously ill and thus unable to stand trial or carry a punishment if convicted.

Edgar Savisaar died on 29 December 2022, at the age of 72.