Tribute by Paul Varul and Heiki Pisuke
After reestablishing its independence in August 1991, Estonia faced an enormous task: to create a completely new legal system based on the political and economic situation that was developing in Estonia. It was particularly important to reshape private law, which serves as the basis for the economic relations characteristic of a market economy. The civil code in force at the time was a Soviet Civil Code designed for a communist economy. It was a tremendous challenge to replace that code with a new uniform code capable of regulating new enterprise and commercial relations. This tribute recognises one of the many important contributors to that successful project: Professor Yiannopoulos, who, though he visited Estonia only once, made a lasting contribution to the development of Estonian civil law.
About the Author
Paul Varul. Paul Varul, Ph.D.; Professor Extraordinary of the University of Tartu; Former Minister of Justice of the Republic of Estonia during the code drafting project discussed in this tribute.
Heiki Pisuke. Heiki Pisuke, Ph.D.; Professor of the Institute of Law, Talinn, and Visiting Professor of the University of Tartu; Former Adviser to the Minister of Justice.
Citation
73 Tul. L. Rev. 1027 (1999)