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Valtioneuvos
Harri Holkeri
Valtioneuvos Harri Holkeri
36th Prime Minister of Finland
	In office; 30 April 1987 – 26 April 1991
President	Mauno Koivisto
Deputy	Kalevi Sorsa ; Pertti Paasio
Preceded by	Kalevi Sorsa
Succeeded by	Esko Aho
4th Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Kosovo
	In office; 25 August 2003 – 11 July 2004
Preceded by	Michael Steiner
Succeeded by	Søren Jessen-Petersen
President of the United Nations General Assembly
	In office; 5 September 2000 – 10 September 2001
Preceded by	Theo-Ben Gurirab
Succeeded by	Han Seung-soo
Personal details
Born	Harri Hermanni Holkeri; 6 January 1937; Oripää, Finland
Died	7 August 2011 (aged 74); Helsinki, Finland
Political party	National Coalition
Alma mater	University of Helsinki
Profession	Master of Political Sciences

Harri Hermanni Holkeri (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈhɑrːi ˈhermɑnːi ˈholkeri]; 6 January 1937 – 7 August 2011)^[1] was a Finnish statesman representing the National Coalition Party of Finland (Kokoomus / Samlingspartiet). He was the Prime Minister of Finland 1987–1991,^[2] president of the UN General Assembly 2000–2001 and headed the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo from 2003 to 2004 (leaving the position in the summer of the second year because of health issues).

Domestic offices

Harri Holkeri was member of the board of directors of the Bank of Finland from 1978 to 1997,^[3] and candidate in the president elections of 1982 and 1988. He also served as a member of Parliament from 1970 to 1978 and as the chairman of the National Coalition (Conservative) Party from 1971 to 1979.^[4] On 1 July 1991 he made the world's first official GSM call, to Kaarina Suonio, vice mayor of the city of Tampere.^[5]^[6] The historic call used Nokia gear on GSM's original 900 MHz band.

Legacy

He chaired the United Nations General Assembly during the 55th session (2000–2001). He also played a constructive role in securing the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland.^[7]

Cabinets

Holkeri Cabinet

Later years and death

In his last years, Holkeri resided in Kruununhaka, Helsinki, where on a November day in 2008 he was walking outside a grocery store, when a robber tackled him while fleeing. Holkeri was badly wounded, broke his hip and needed a joint replacement surgery on his hips. The suspect turned himself in to the police, but stated that he did not intend to harm Holkeri and that the tackle was an accident. Holkeri sued the suspect for temporary and permanent damages for a total of €8,400.^[8]^[9]^[10]

Holkeri died in 2011 in Helsinki.^[11]

Honors and awards

Domestic

Holkeri was awarded the highest Finnish honorary title of Counselor of State in 1998 by the President of Finland Martti Ahtisaari.

Foreign

Holkeri's efforts in Northern Ireland were rewarded with an honorary KBE from Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.^[7]

References

^ "Harri Holkeri on kuollut". MTV3 (in Finnish). 7 August 2011. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
^ "Ministerikortisto". Valtioneuvosto.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ "Board Members in the history of the Bank of Finland". Bank of Finland. Archived from the original on 7 August 2017. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
^ "Mitä Missä Milloin – Kansalaisen vuosikirja, editions 1971, 1972, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980; Otava Publications Ltd., Helsinki, Finland)
^ "Kaarina Suonio". Finnish Government. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
^ "GSM marks 20th year since first call". The Manila Times. 4 July 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
^ ^a ^b "Ex-PM Harri Holkeri dies at 74". YLE. 7 August 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
^ "Myymälävarkaan kaatama Harri Holkeri lahjoitti korvaukset hyväntekeväisyyteen". MTV Uutiset. 31 October 2010.
^ "Holkerin vammauttaneelle sakkotuomio". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). 5 November 2009. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
^ "Holkerin kaatanut kiistää tahallisuuden". iltalehti.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 31 January 2021.
^ "Valtioneuvos Harri Holkeri on kuollut". mtvuutiset.fi (in Finnish). 7 August 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2021.

Political offices
Preceded by Kalevi Sorsa	Prime Minister of Finland 1987–1991	Succeeded by Esko Aho
Positions in intergovernmental organisations
Preceded by Theo-Ben Gurirab	President of the United Nations General Assembly 2000–2001	Succeeded by Han Seung-soo