County Government
The County Government (Estonian: Maavalitsus) is led by Governor (Estonian: maavanem), who is appointed by the Government of Estonia for a term of five years. Since 2009 the Governor position is taken by Ülle Rajasalu.
The history of Harju County Government goes back to the year 1917.
Harju County Municipality was founded by the regulation of 30 March 1917. Members of the Harju County Council were elected by the delegates of county municipalities. The first meeting was held on 1 July 1917 in Tallinn, Toompea Castle. Johannes Reinthal won the elections for the Chair of the Council. The language of the proceedings was decided to be Estonian.
The structure of Harju County Government has consisted of the following departments from its beginning:
- general department (organises the work of different committees),
- food department (registers and stores food products, provisions the people and military etc.),
- roads department,
- health care department,
- the government of rural schools (the education department was formed later) and
- administrative department.
The Executive Committee of Harju County Deputies Council was formed on January 1941. Its existence was suspended during the (Nazi)German occupation from the autumn of 1941 until autumn 1944. After the new rural regions were formed during the Soviet occupation, the Executive Committee of Harju County Deputies Council was abolished on 1950 and the Executive Committee of Harju Region Labour Deputies Council was formed.
Harju County Government was re-formed in 1990.
The Chairs of Harju County Councils, the Heads of County Governments and the County Governors:
- 1917–1920 Johannes Reinthal
- 1920–1922 Oskar Suursööt
- 1922–1927 Martin Kruusimaa (Krusemann)
- 1927–1936 Rudolf Kuris
- 1936–1940 Karl Robert Ruus
- 1940–1941 Gustav Abel
- 1940; 1941–1944 Paul Männik
- 1990–1991 Anti Oidsalu
- 1991–1994 Mati Zernand
- 1994–1999 Mait Kornet
- 1999–2004 Orm Valtson
- 2005–2006 Jaan Mark
- 2006–2009 Värner Lootsmann
- 2009 – Ülle Rajasalu
Read more about this topic: Harjumaa
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—Paula Lopossa, U.S. judge. As quoted in the New York Times, p. B9 (May 21, 1993)
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