Date of birth

16 November 1953

Place of birth

Juodžiai Village, Šilutė District, Lithuania

Education

1971–1976

Diploma of economist and mathematician, Faculty of Economic Cybernetics and Finance, Vilnius University

1968–1971

Šilutė Secondary School No 1 (currently Šilutės gimnazija No 1 (upper secondary school))

1968

Žemaitkiemis eight-year basic school, Šilutė District (closed now)

Work experience

2020–2024

Member of the Seimas

2009–2019

Member of the European Parliament (2 terms)

2006

Prime Minister at interim

2005–2007

Minister of Finance

2001–2005

Minister of Transport and Communications

2000–2009

Member of the Seimas

1996–2000

First Deputy Director General, Lithuania–Hungary joint venture Lithun

1994–1996

Deputy Governor of Vilnius County

1992–1994

Director, Asphalt–concrete manufacturing plant, Vilnius

1989–1991

Manager of the Trade Union Affairs, Director of the Training Centre

1984–1989

Deputy Director, Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society

1978–1984

Communist Youth organisation (Comsomol)

1976–1978

Engineer, Senior Engineer, Design Bureau, Ministry of Food Industry

Political career

Since 2020

Member of the 13th Seimas

2014

Ran for the Presidency of the Republic of Lithuania, became runner-up in the election in the first round and qualified for the second round

2009–2019

Member of the European Parliament, Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D); Committee on Budgetary Control; Committee on Industry, Research and Energy; Member, Delegation for relations with the United States; Member, Delegation for relations with the People‘s Republic of China; Deputy Chair, Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly; Substitute Member, Committee on Foreign Affairs; Member, Provisional Committee for setting the principles of the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework 2014–2020

2008–2009

Member of the 10th Seimas

Member, Committee on National Security and Defence (2008–2009)

Chair, Lithuanian Social Democratic Party Political Group at the Seimas

2005–2017

Deputy Chairman of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party

2004–2008

Member of the 9th Seimas

Member, Committee on Economics (2004–2006)

Member, Committee on Budget and Finance (2006–2008)

Member, Committee on European Affairs (2008)

Head, Seimas Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

2001–2020

Member, Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP)

2000–2004

Member of the 8th Seimas

Member, Committee on Budget and Finance

1994

Member, Council of Vilnius City Municipality

Miscellaneous

Awards: Grand Cross of Commander of the Order for Merits to Lithuania; Order of the Gra-Cru Cross of the Republic of Portugal; Commemorative Badge for Personal Service to the Course of Lithuania’s Trans-Atlantic Relations and on the Occasion of the Invitation of the Republic of Lithuania to Join the NATO; Medal in Commemoration of the 750th Anniversary of Coronation of the Lithuanian King Mindaugas; Medal of Afanasij Nikitin of the Russian Federation; Badge of an Honorary Citizen of Šilutė Region in 2018; Silver Reed award of Šilutė District; Golden Lion award, nomination of the Year’s Benefactor, Žemaičių Naumiestis, Šilutė District; Drops of Gratitude award of Šilalė District for sincere, consistent support and love for the people of Šilalė District;  Julius Ludwig Wiener Philanthropist of the Year Award

Hobbies: tennis, basketball, hunting and water-skiing

Family

Married. Wife Severina, son Donatas and daughter Kamilė