Katrin Saks

Katrin Saks (born November 29, 1956 in Tallinn) is an Estonian politician, currently vice-chairman of the Social Democratic Party. From 1999 to 2002, she was Minister of Population Affairs in the cabinet of Mart Laar. In October 2006 she became Member of the European Parliament, replacing Toomas Hendrik Ilves, who had been elected President of Estonia. She lost her seat in the 2009 European election, but shortly regained it, when on 7 April 2014 she replaced Ivari Padar who became Estonian Minister for Agriculture, until in July she was succeeded by Marju Lauristin following the 2014 European election. As of 2011, she serves as a rector of Tallinn University Baltic Film and Media School.

Contents

• Education
• Professional Background
• Political Work
• Organisations
• Awards
• References

Education

Estonian Diplomatic College, international relations and diplomacy (1993)

University of Tartu, journalism (1981)

Additional courses in Denmark, Norway, Belgium and the USA.

Professional Background

Rector of Baltic Film and Media School (2011–currently)

Concordia International University, lecturer (1998–2000)

Open Estonia Fund, project manager (1998–1999)

Estonian Television, programme director, member of the Board of Governors (1993–1997)

Estonian Television, journalist (1977–1997)

Political Work

Member of the European Parliament, Socialist Group (2006–2009; April–June 2014)

Member of the Estonian Parliament (2003–2006),

Member, European Union Affairs Committee; Vice-chairman, Cultural Affairs Committee

Member, Estonian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe,

rapporteur on Finno-Ugric peoples in the Russian Federation (2003–2006)

Government of the Republic of Estonia, minister (1999–2002)

Organisations

Mõõdukad Party (predecessor of the SDE) (1988), Vice-Chairman, SDE Party (2005).

Member, Broadcasting Council

Board of Trustees of Tartu University

Board of Trustees of the Estonian Music Academy

President, Union for Child Welfare

Awards

2006: Order of the White Star, 4th class