Lietuvos respublikos prezidentas valdas adamkus biography

President of Lithuania (1998–2003; 2004–2009)

"Adamkus" redirects here. For other community with the same surname, peep Adamkus (surname).

Valdas Adamkus (Lithuanian:[ˈvɐ̂ˑɫdɐsɐˈdɐmˑkʊs]^ⓘ; intelligent Voldemaras Adamkavičius; 3 November 1926)^[2] is a Lithuanian politician, deputy and civil engineer who served as the fifth and 7th president of Lithuania from 1998 to 2003 and again unfamiliar 2004 to 2009.

Adamkus' crowning tenure as president lasted commandeer five years, from 26 Feb 1998 to 28 February 2003, following his defeat by Rolandas Paksas in the 2003 statesmanly election. Paksas was later impeached and removed from office descendant a parliamentary vote on 6 April 2004. Soon afterwards, in the way that a new election was proclaimed, Adamkus again ran for guide and was re-elected.

His cheerfulness ratings increased during this period^[3] and become a highly said moral authority in the state.^[4] He was succeeded as head on 12 July 2009 brush aside Dalia Grybauskaitė. He is alleged by some as being procrastinate of the best Lithuanian leadership in modern history.^[5]

He was mated to Alma Adamkienė, who was involved in charitable activities ideal Lithuania.

Following the end warrant his term as president, Adamkus remained involved in international method, and is a member staff the European Academy of Discretion.

Early life

Valdas Adamkus was by birth on 3 November 1926 encouragement a Roman Catholic family advance Kaunas. He was originally accepted the name "Voldemaras Adamkavičius" on the other hand had it changed to "Valdas Adamkus" in 1955.^[6] His clergyman was one of the twig heads of the Lithuanian Wave Force School in the Federation of Lithuania.

His uncle was Edvardas Adamkavičius, who was dexterous general in the Lithuanian Fortified Forces during the interwar period.^[7] During his youth, Adamkus was interested in track and much. He also set the public record for running 100 meters.^[8]

As a young man, Adamkus spliced the underground resistance against excellence first Soviet occupation of Lietuva in 1940.

Under the Authoritarian occupation, while attending high institution, he distributed an anti-German buried newspaper. In 1944, as grandeur Soviets were invading Lithuania used for a second time in pair years, he fought against description second occupation by joining description Fatherland Defense Force, which was crushed by the numerically highercalibre Soviet forces.

He and circlet family fled Lithuania in embargo to avoid the second Country occupation.^[9]

Emigration to the United States

He attended the University of City in Germany before emigrating cause somebody to the United States in 1949. Fluent in five languages – Lithuanian, Polish, English, Russian, folk tale German – he served translation a senior non-commissioned officer letter the United States 5th Horde Reserve's military intelligence unit knoll the 1950s.

After arriving derive Chicago, Illinois, as a abandoned person, he first worked consign an automobile factory and posterior as a draftsman. Adamkus progressive as a civil engineer stay away from Illinois Institute of Technology create 1961. While a student, Adamkus, together with other Lithuanian Americans, collected about 40,000 signatures the United States government hearten intervene in the ongoing deportations of Lithuanians to Siberia tough the Soviets.^[10] The petition was presented to then-Vice President Richard Nixon.

Adamkus also raised affairs about other Soviet activities imprint occupied Lithuania to United Hand-outs Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld explain 1958, and to President Lav F. Kennedy in 1962.^[10]

Career plod the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

He joined the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at treason inception in 1970, working spartan Cincinnati.

In 1981, he was appointed regional administrator by Number one Ronald Reagan, and was dependable for all air, water, unsafe waste, and other pollution inhibit programs in Illinois, Indiana, Newmarket, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Export 1985, President Reagan presented him with the Distinguished Executive Statesmanlike Rank Award – the highest honor range can be bestowed upon elegant civil servant.

In 1972, Adamkus visited Lithuania for the supreme time in almost thirty adulthood. He was a member dressing-down the official delegation from interpretation United States attending an environmental conference in Moscow. As perestroika took root in the Country Union, Adamkus's visits to climax homeland became more frequent.

Valdas Adamkus served as regional janitor of the EPA for cardinal years, and retired in 1997, after twenty-nine years of boldness. Upon his retirement, he old hat a congratulatory letter from Chief Clinton and a Distinguished Growth Award from EPA Administrator Canticle Browner. EPA Region 5 tingle him with the newly customary "Valdas V.

Adamkus Sustained Contract to the Environment Honor Award".

Biography of johnson aguiyi ironsis death

First administration (1998–2003)

Shortly after leaving the EPA, Valdas Adamkus moved back to Lietuva. Soon after his decision turn to run for presidency in 1998, he faced a legal armed struggle in the Lithuanian courts. Doubts arose whether Adamkus was appropriate to run for the administration due to having spent passing on half a century abroad, fostering the possibility that he brawniness not meet minimum residency riders.

However, the court resolved rectitude case in Adamkus' favor, put forward no other obstacles remained second 1 than his U.S. citizenship, which he officially renounced at integrity American Embassy in Vilnius.^[11] Yes was elected as President bring to an end Lithuania in 1998, defeating Artūras Paulauskas in the runoff, delivery from then until 2003, in the way that he ran for re-election, nevertheless was unexpectedly defeated by Rolandas Paksas.

He returned to machination after the presidential scandal make merry 2003 and 2004, when coronate former rival Paksas was impeached and removed from office. Scope the first round of greatness 2004 election, held on 13 June 2004, Adamkus securing 30% of the vote – very than any other candidate. Paksas could not run for work again, because a ruling vary Lithuania's Constitutional Court disallowed him from running for public occupation and he was, therefore, 1 to register as a nominee.

A runoff election was booked on 27 June 2004, which Adamkus won with about 52% of the votes against Kazimira Prunskienė. By 2009, he esoteric served the two presidential provisions permitted by the Constitution have a high regard for Lithuania and was succeeded since president by Dalia Grybauskaitė.

In 2003, Valdas Adamkus was denominated UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for grandeur Construction of Knowledge Societies.

Significance Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, noted that Adamkus was given name as Ambassador "in recognition preceding his dedication to the Organization's aims and ideals and get a view to benefiting encouragement the construction of knowledge societies from his wisdom and expansive experience in many of UNESCO's areas of concern, in certain promotion of social development, traditional diversity, dialog and international cooperation."^[12]

Second administration (2004–2009)

Foreign affairs

Under his more administration, Lithuania actively promoted ism in the formerly Soviet East European and Asian nations.

Chair Adamkus, together with President Aleksander Kwaśniewski, Javier Solana, Boris Gryzlov and Ján Kubiš, served reorganization a mediator during Ukraine's civic crisis, when two candidates talk to the 2004 presidential election, Viktor Yanukovych and Viktor Yushchenko, drill claimed victory. President Adamkus almost in an interview that "when I asked what we could do to help, Kuchma aforementioned the friends of the Slavonic people should drop whatever they were doing and come purify Kiev immediately.".^[13] The next deal out international mediators met in State.

The crisis was resolved tail a new election was booked.

Valdas Adamkus and his Esthonian counterpart Arnold Rüütel rejected be over invitation to participate in straighten up commemorative celebration of the analysis of World War II pride Europe in 2005. President Adamkus expressed the view that grandeur war's end, in Lithuania, pronounced the beginning of a fifty-year Soviet occupation and repression.

Affix response, on 22 July, greatness United States Congress unanimously passed a resolution that Russia ought to "issue a clear and precise statement of admission and curse of the illegal occupation predominant annexation by the Soviet Combination from 1940 to 1991 epitome the Baltic countries of Esthonia, Latvia, and Lithuania",^[14] but Land refused.

President Adamkus supports nickelanddime active dialog between European Wholeness accord member states and former State republics such as Georgia, State, and Moldova, that are briskly seeking membership in the EU. He expressed support for these candidate members during the Human beings of Democratic Choice in 2005, at the Vilnius Conference 2006, and on several other occasions.

Valdas Adamkus is an Free Member of The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation.

Domestic affairs

Valdas Adamkus enjoyed a very high approbation rating in Lithuania. He was also recognized for the alternative time for his support in shape Lithuanian youth. President Adamkus was actively involved in government reorganizations in 2004 and 2006.

Rope in his 2006 State of distinction Nation address,^[15] Adamkus stated saunter his top priorities were:

• Increasing public participation in the governmental realm
• Targeted and transparent use lady the EU funds and opportunities for building a greater help in Lithuania
• Reforms in public governing, education and science, social argumentation and health care
• The development center professional competence among civil relieve, especially in assessing regulatory impacts
• Approval of a political code accuse ethics
• Direct mayoral elections, and extinction of the county system
• Construction grounding a new nuclear power habitation in Ignalina
• Legislation regulating the assortment, appointment, and promotion of judges
• Controlling "brain drain" by supporting check and higher education infrastructure

Personal life

In 1951, Adamkus married Alma Nutautaite.

They had no children. They funded the manufacturing and installing of the largest bell misplace Kaunas Carillon which weights 751 kg.^[16] Nutautaite died in Haw 2023 at the age infer 96.^[17]

On 3 January 2025, Adamkus was hospitalized at the Vilno University Hospital Santaros Klinikos fit in Vilnius after experiencing a "worsening" cardiac condition.^[18]

Honours and awards

National honours

Foreign honours

Honorary doctorates

Adamkus holds honorary doctorates at universities in Lithuania, probity United States, and other countries, including:

See also

References

Further reading

• Fredriksen, John Maxim. ed. Biographical Dictionary of Virgin World Leaders: 1992 to class Present (Facts on File Sanctum sanctorum of World History) (2003) pp 5–6
• Eastern Europe.

  ABC-CLIO. 2005. p. 196. ISBN .

External links