17 Facts About Guntis Ulmanis

Guntis Ulmanis was born on 13 September 1939 and is a Latvian politician and the fifth President of Latvia from 1993 to 1999.

Guntis Ulmanis was born in Riga on 13 September 1939.

In 1949, the remainder of the Ulmanis family was supposed to be deported in the upcoming March deportation, but Guntis Ulmanis was able to avoid that fate, as his mother remarried and his surname was changed to Rumpitis.

In 1955 upon receiving his first passport Ulmanis chose to use his birth surname.

Guntis Ulmanis began working as an economist at a construction site and was later promoted to tram and trolleybus administrator in Riga.

Guntis Ulmanis was then advanced to the position of deputy chairman of the planning committee of the Riga Executive Committee.

However, his family ties with President Guntis Ulmanis were discovered and he was sacked in 1971.

Guntis Ulmanis then worked at lower positions in the Riga municipal service system.

Guntis Ulmanis joined the Latvian Farmers' Union, his great-uncle's party, the same year.

Guntis Ulmanis announced a moratorium on the death penalty, in accordance with the norms of the European Council.

In 1998 President Guntis Ulmanis actively supported amendments to the Citizenship law, that would allow all people born after 21 August 1991 to obtain citizenship and would eliminate so-called "naturalization limits".

Guntis Ulmanis' term finished in 1999 and he was succeeded by Vaira Vike-Freiberga.

Guntis Ulmanis retired from politics but became a social activist, founding the Guntis Ulmanis Fund, organizing the 2006 IIHF World Championship in Riga and heading the Riga Castle reconstruction council.

Guntis Ulmanis has been married to Aina Ulmane since 1962.

Guntis Ulmanis is known to spend summers in his home in Smarde Parish.

Guntis Ulmanis has written two autobiographies: No tevis jau neprasa daudz and Mans prezidenta laiks.

Guntis Ulmanis is a member of the international advisory council of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation.