- Ivars Godmanis
Infobox Prime Minister
name = Ivars Godmanis
order =Prime Minister of Latvia
president =Valdis Zatlers
deputy =
term_start =20 December 2007
term_end =
predecessor =Aigars Kalvītis
successor =
president2 =Guntis Ulmanis
deputy2 =
term_start2 =07 May 1990
term_end2 =03 August 1993
predecessor2 =Vilnis-Edvīns Bresis
successor2 =Valdis Birkavs
birth_date = birth date and age|1951|11|27|df=y
birth_place =Riga ,Latvian SSR ,Soviet Union
party = LPP
LC
spouse =
occupation =
residence =Ivars Godmanis (born
November 27 1951 ) is aLatvia n politician. He was the firstPrime Minister of Latvia after the country became independent from theSoviet Union , and he became a Prime Minister for the second time in December 2007.He was born in
Riga . Godmanis served as Prime Minister from 1990 to 1993, focusing primarily on Latvia's difficult economic transition from a communist to a capitalist economy. He later served asFinance Minister from 1998 to 1999. Though originally associated with theLatvian Popular Front , he moved to theLatvian Way party after theLatvian Popular Front ceased. In November 2006, following elections in which the Latvia's Way Party in union withLatvia's First Party returned to Parliament, Godmanis became the Minister of Interior.On
December 14 2007 , Godmanis was nominated as Prime Minister by PresidentValdis Zatlers . [ [http://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/19515/ "Godmanis nominated for prime minister"] , "The Baltic Times", December 19, 2007.] He was approved by parliament onDecember 20 , with 54 votes in favor and 43 opposed. [ [http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=United+Kingdom+%26+Europe&month=December2007&file=World_News2007122114324.xml "Latvia’s old coalition back in power"] , Reuters ("The Peninsula Online"), December 21, 2007.]On
June 18 ,2008 , he was injured in a car accident. [ [http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=2fd7506e-693f-4522-b72b-e5a9ff4b1501"Latvian PM fractures skull in Riga car accident"] , AFP ("Canada.com"), Wednesday, June 18, 2008.]On
September 19 ,2008 , he replacedRoger Taylor at drums with Queen + Paul Rogers performance "All Right Now" in concert in Riga. [http://www.brianmay.com/queen/queennews/queennewssep08b.html#65]References
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