Press release, 20 September 2012
On 20 September 2012, the Seimas commemorated the 80th birth anniversary of Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas, President, Signatory to the Act of Independence, 12th and 13th Prime Minister of the Republic of Lithuania. Seimas Speaker Irena Degutienė gave an opening address followed by the speeches of Members of the Seimas, Algirdas Butkevičius and Kęstutis Glaveckas.
On the left Deputy Speaker of the Seimas Česlovas Juršėnas
Upon opening the solemn sitting, Seimas Speaker Irena Degutienė noted that Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas was undoubtedly one of the politicians, whose personality and political activity would be the object of research for many political scientists, historians, and sociologists looking into the 20th and 21st century history of the state of Lithuania, its historical transformation from the totalitarian regime and occupation to a free and democratic country. In many cases, Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas was a direct actor and decision-maker in the new history of the country. Historically, he will always be the only unsurpassable, who was destined to be the First Secretary of the Lithuanian Communist Party, Signatory to the Act of Independence, Speaker of the Seimas, President of Lithuania, and Prime Minister of Lithuania. Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas died two years ago, on 26 June 2010. Today we are commemorating his 80th birth anniversary, pointed out the Head of Parliament and invited to honour the memory of President Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas in a minute of silence.
Algirdas Butkevičius, MP, Chairman of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party, said that everyone knew Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas in a different way. Like every prominent man, whose name is enshrined in history books, Mr Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas was a complex and versatile personality; therefore saying he was an ordinary man would mean distortion of the historical truth. But I guess we would all agree upon one thing: Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas, as a political figure, always was the guarantor of stability in the country, and a symbol of unity and strength. During complicated and responsible moments in Lithuanias history, he firmly held the steering wheel of Lithuania in his hands, the parliamentarian said. Algirdas Butkevičius recalled that everybody had learnt something from A. M. Brazauskas be it diplomacy, perfectionism, or ability to infuse others with the sense of unity. Many politicians envied him pragmatism in dealing with the countrys economy. He was a strategic manager, who used to constantly observe an external as well as internal situation in the countrys economy and succeeded in responding to changes quickly and flexibly. But most likely, his success in politics was ensured by his readiness to work for peoples benefit rather than his own, the MP said.
Kęstutis Glaveckas, Signatory to the Act of Independence, stressed how privileged he was to know one of the most charismatic architects of Independent Lithuania. A. M. Brazauskas was born and died in Independent Lithuania. Nevertheless, he directly and fully experienced the hardships of its subjugation and the occupation period. Together with other statesmen he was the knight who directly and significantly contributed to the restoration of independence of Lithuania in 1990, Glaveckas said and pointed out that A. M. Brazauskas was the first and so far the only politician in Lithuania to have held all the highest positions in the State, namely, President, Speaker of the Seimas, and Prime Minister. The parliamentarian emphasised that A. M. Brazauskas merits to Lithuania included not only the biggest industrial objects built under his leadership and skilfully utilised resources of the imperial Soviet Union, but also his permanent effort to foster Lithuanian culture and Lithuanian identity. I have no doubt that most Lithuanian people highly appreciate his contribution to the history of Lithuania, admire his charismatic personality and his achievements, and grieve over the loss of this historical personality, Mr Glaveckas, Signatory to the Act of Independence, concluded.
The solemn sitting was attended by President Valdas Adamkus, Deputies of the Supreme Council Reconstituent Seimas, Signatories to the Act of Independence of the Republic of Lithuania, Members of the Seimas and the Government, President Brazauskas family members, heads of diplomatic missions in Lithuania, members of the 1st, 12th, and 13th Governments, and other distinguished guests.
Rimas Rudaitis, Public Relations Unit, tel: +370 5 2396132
