Date of birth

1 January 1958

Place of birth

Druskininkai, Lithuania

Education

2004

Associate Professor, Social Science

1986

Doctor of Social Science  (nostrification by the Research Council of Lithuania, 1994)

1975–1980

Diploma of Economist-Mathematician in Economic Cybernetics, Vilnius University

1966–1973

Piano Class,  Seven-Year Music School in Druskininkai

1964–1975

Secondary School No 1 in Druskininkai (currently Atgimimo School)

Work Experience

Since Jan. 2022

Vice-Chairperson, Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy,  Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

2021-01 – 2022-01

Vice-President, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

Since Nov. 2020

Member of the 13th Seimas

Since Jan. 2022

Chair, Committee on Foreign Affairs

2020-11–2022-03

Deputy Chair, Committee on European Affairs

2020

Head, Election Observation Mission to the Republic of North Macedonia, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

2020

Member of the Board, PA International Foundation

2016–2019

Member of the European Parliament

Member, Committee on International Trade (INTA)

Member, Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET)

Member, Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE)

First Deputy Chair, Delegation to the EU-Kazakhstan, EU-Kyrgyzstan, EU-Tajikistan and EU-Uzbekistan Parliamentary Cooperation Committees and for relations with Turkmenistan and Mongolia

2014–2016

Member of the Board, PA International Foundation

2009–2014

Member of the European Parliament

Member, Committee on International Trade (INTA)

Member, Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET)

Member, Deputy Chair (2009–2012), Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI)

2004–2009

Member of the European Parliament

Member, Committee on Budgets (BUDG)

Member, Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET)

Member, Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI)

2003–2004

Dean, Faculty of Public Management, Law University of Lithuania

2002–2004

Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Director, Institute of European Union Policy and Management, Law University of Lithuania

2001–2003

Chair of the Board, private company UAB Laitenis

1996–1998

Minister of European Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania

1996

Minister of Industry and Trade of the Republic of Lithuania

1996–2000

Member of the 7th Seimas

Member (1996–2000), Deputy Chair (2000), Committee on Foreign Affairs

Member, Committee on European Affairs (1998–2000)

Head, Seimas Delegation to the Baltic Assembly (1998–2000)

1992–1996

Member of the 6th Seimas

Member, Committee on Foreign Affairs

1990–1992

Member, Supreme Council – Reconstituent Seimas

Signatory to the Act of Independence of Lithuania

Member, Committee on Foreign Affairs

Member, Committee on Budget

1983–1989

Research Fellow, Senior Research Fellow, Research Institute of Agricultural Economics of Lithuania

1980–1983

Engineer, Computer Centre,  Research Institute of Agricultural Economics of Lithuania

Political Career

Member, Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats

Since 2016

Member, Lithuanian Union of Political Prisoners and Deportees

Since 2003

Member, Member of the Council (since 2004), Member of the Presidium (2004–2014), Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats 

2001–2003

Founder, Member, Lithuanian Right-Wing Union

1999–2001

Founder (1999), Member, Chairperson, Homeland Popular Party (1999),

1993–1998

Founder (1993), Member, Member of the Board, Homeland Union (Lithuanian Conservatives)

1988–1993

Member, Lithuanian Reform Movement Sąjūdis; Member, Sąjūdis Seimas (1992–1993)

Miscellaneous

Patron; Sponsor, contests of works by students and school pupils, child care institutions, organisations of large families, young artists, deportees and political prisoners, and elderly people; Sponsor, cultural and artistic projects in Lithuania and abroad, Catholic Church in Lithuania, and charity organisations; Initiator and Sponsor of development of the Saint James Ways network in Lithuania; Patron, Annual Young Ambassadors’ Race of the Saint James Ways.

Author of scientific studies, books, and articles in Lithuanian, English, French, and other languages  

Awards: Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the French Republic (1997); Medal of Independence of Lithuania (2000); Medal of the Baltic Assembly Ubi concordia, ibi victoria (2003); Cross of Commander of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas (2004); Honorary Doctor (Honoris Causa), Kingston University (United Kingdom) (2007); Golden Token of Honour, Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists (2008); Establishing Volunteers of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Medal (2012); Medal of Diplomacy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) (2014); Order of the President of Georgia (2014); MEP of the Year 2018 Award in International Trade (The Parliament Magazine) (2018); Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic, Kingdom of Spain (2020).

Languages: Lithuanian, English, Russian, and Spanish