President Kersti Kaljulaid s decision Thursday to strip former cross-country ski star Andrus Veerpalu of his two state decorations brings the total number of individuals so divested of their awards to fourteen.
President Kaljulaid has recalled a total of four state awards from recipients in her tenure so far. Toomas Hendrik Ilves took away the remaining 10, during his two-term stint as president, 2006-2016.
Ilves predecessors, Arnold Rüütel and, before him, Lennart Meri, doled out state awards perhaps more prolifically, and many of those who have been demoted in this way – including Andrus Veerpalu – had received their awards during the first two presidents terms.