Calam Tunne

Scientist. Senior editor of the Estonian Soviet Encyclopedia (1965-1975). In 1972 he drew up a memorandum sent to the UN on behalf of two underground human rights organizations. The memorandum contained a demand to end the Soviet occupation and restore the Republic of Estonia. Later he worked closely with the Estonian Democratic Movement. He gave lectures on various topics for various underground groups, among which was the Tartu youth movement. In 1975, under pressure from the KGB, he was forced to leave his position as senior editor of ESE. He was hired by the State Library of the Estonian SSR. Fr. R. Kreutzwald as a senior bibliographer, from where he was fired in 1979. After that, in 1980–1988 he worked as a night watchman at the Ranna poultry farm. In 1988–1990 he was the Tallinn representative of the magazine “Akademia” (Estonian “Akadeemia”) published in Tartu, as well as its editor. In the late 1980s he became one of the most prominent nationalist figures in Estonia. He was one of the founders of the Estonian National Independence Party (ERSP, Eesti Rahvusliku Sõltumatuse Partei) in 1988 and the initiators of the creation of the Estonian Citizens' Committees, the Estonian independence movement, from 1989 to 1990. From 1990 to 1992 he was the chairman of the Estonian Committee, the executive body of the Estonian Congress, constituent assembly, which competed with the Supreme Council of Estonia for political power in the republic. Member of the Estonian Parliament (1992-2004). In 2004, he was elected to the European Parliament from the Fatherland Union and Res Publica party, which is part of the European People's Party. Member of a number of non-governmental organizations, including the Institute of Human Rights (member since 1997), the Christler-Ritso Foundation (member since 1998) and the Estonian European Movement (vice-president since 1998).