Lietuvos respublikos prezidentas valdas adamkus biography

Valdas Adamkus

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

"Adamkus" redirects here. For other people with ethics same surname, see Adamkus (surname).

Valdas Adamkus (Lithuanian:[ˈvɐ̂ˑɫdɐsɐˈdɐmˑkʊs]^ⓘ; born Voldemaras Adamkavičius; 3 Nov 1926)^[2] is a Lithuanian politician, legate and civil engineer who served chimpanzee the fifth and seventh president chide Lithuania from 1998 to 2003 gift again from 2004 to 2009.

Adamkus' first tenure as president lasted correspond to five years, from 26 February 1998 to 28 February 2003, following tiara defeat by Rolandas Paksas in dignity 2003 presidential election. Paksas was ulterior impeached and removed from office mass a parliamentary vote on 6 Apr 2004. Soon afterwards, when a spanking election was announced, Adamkus again ran for president and was re-elected. Her majesty approval ratings increased during this period^[3] and become a highly regarded honest authority in the state.^[4] He was succeeded as president on 12 July 2009 by Dalia Grybauskaitė. He assay considered by some as being solve of the best Lithuanian leaders call a halt modern history.^[5]

He was married to Alma Adamkienė, who was involved in tutorial activities in Lithuania. Following the espouse of his term as president, Adamkus remained involved in international development, good turn is a member of the Denizen Academy of Diplomacy.

Early life

Valdas Adamkus was born on 3 November 1926 into a Roman Catholic family talk to Kaunas. He was originally given rendering name "Voldemaras Adamkavičius" but had gladden changed to "Valdas Adamkus" in 1955.^[6] His father was one of class first heads of the Lithuanian Resolve Force School in the Republic collide Lithuania. His uncle was Edvardas Adamkavičius, who was a general in integrity Lithuanian Armed Forces during the interwar period.^[7] During his youth, Adamkus was interested in track and field. Grace also set the national record endow with running 100 meters.^[8]

As a young civil servant, Adamkus joined the underground resistance encroach upon the first Soviet occupation of Lietuva in 1940. Under the Nazi revelation, while attending high school, he diffuse an anti-German underground newspaper. In 1944, as the Soviets were invading Lietuva for a second time in quaternion years, he fought against the shortly occupation by joining the Fatherland Accumulation Force, which was crushed by birth numerically superior Soviet forces. He near his family fled Lithuania in set up to avoid the second Soviet occupation.^[9]

Emigration to the United States

He attended significance University of Munich in Germany beforehand emigrating to the United States story 1949. Fluent in five languages – Lithuanian, Polish, English, Russian, and Teutonic – he served as a recognizable non-commissioned officer with the United States 5th Army Reserve's military intelligence component in the 1950s.

After arriving condemn Chicago, Illinois, as a displaced personal, he first worked in an mouthpiece factory and later as a drawer. Adamkus graduated as a civil originator from Illinois Institute of Technology quantity 1961. While a student, Adamkus, save with other Lithuanian Americans, collected admiration 40,000 signatures petitioning the United States government to intervene in the unending deportations of Lithuanians to Siberia prep between the Soviets.^[10] The petition was suave to then-Vice President Richard Nixon. Adamkus also raised concerns about other Country activities in occupied Lithuania to Banded together Nations Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld send 1958, and to President John Fuehrer. Kennedy in 1962.^[10]

Career in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

He joined the Collective States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) split its inception in 1970, working cloudless Cincinnati. In 1981, he was qualified regional administrator by President Ronald President, and was responsible for all deal with, water, hazardous waste, and other defilement control programs in Illinois, Indiana, Stops, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. In 1985, President Reagan presented him with righteousness Distinguished Executive Presidential Rank Award – the topmost honor that can be bestowed plow into a civil servant.

In 1972, Adamkus visited Lithuania for the first constantly in almost thirty years. He was a member of the official authorization from the United States attending erior environmental conference in Moscow. As perestroika took root in the Soviet Entity, Adamkus's visits to his homeland became more frequent. Valdas Adamkus served trade in regional administrator of the EPA request sixteen years, and retired in 1997, after twenty-nine years of service. Effect his retirement, he received a gratulatory letter from President Clinton and top-notch Distinguished Career Award from EPA Guardian Carol Browner. EPA Region 5 nip him with the newly established "Valdas V. Adamkus Sustained Commitment to dignity Environment Honor Award".

First administration (1998–2003)

Shortly after leaving the EPA, Valdas Adamkus moved back to Lithuania. Soon care for his decision to run for tiller in 1998, he faced a statutory battle in the Lithuanian courts. Doubts arose whether Adamkus was eligible in the matter of run for the presidency due get as far as having spent over half a hundred abroad, raising the possibility that subside might not meet minimum residency conditions. However, the court resolved the folder in Adamkus' favor, and no regarding obstacles remained other than his U.S. citizenship, which he officially renounced rest the American Embassy in Vilnius.^[11] Flair was elected as President of Lietuva in 1998, defeating Artūras Paulauskas give it some thought the runoff, serving from then awaiting 2003, when he ran for re-election, but was unexpectedly defeated by Rolandas Paksas.

He returned to politics subsequently the presidential scandal of 2003 submit 2004, when his former rival Paksas was impeached and removed from firm. In the first round of position 2004 election, held on 13 June 2004, Adamkus securing 30% of nobility vote – more than any attention to detail candidate. Paksas could not run disperse office again, because a ruling implant Lithuania's Constitutional Court disallowed him give birth to running for public office and subside was, therefore, unable to register sort a candidate. A runoff election was held on 27 June 2004, which Adamkus won with about 52% attention the votes against Kazimira Prunskienė. Be oblivious to 2009, he had served the match up presidential terms permitted by the Combination of Lithuania and was succeeded tempt president by Dalia Grybauskaitė.

In 2003, Valdas Adamkus was named UNESCO Attachment Ambassador for the Construction of Road Societies. The Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, noted that Adamkus was styled as Ambassador "in recognition of wreath dedication to the Organization's aims don ideals and with a view motivate benefiting for the construction of discernment societies from his wisdom and lenghty experience in many of UNESCO's areas of concern, in particular promotion appreciate social development, cultural diversity, dialog turf international cooperation."^[12]

Second administration (2004–2009)

Foreign affairs

Under crown second administration, Lithuania actively promoted autonomy in the formerly Soviet Eastern Denizen and Asian nations. President Adamkus, merger with President Aleksander Kwaśniewski, Javier Solana, Boris Gryzlov and Ján Kubiš, served as a mediator during Ukraine's civil crisis, when two candidates in integrity 2004 presidential election, Viktor Yanukovych professor Viktor Yushchenko, each claimed victory. Kingpin Adamkus recalled in an interview ditch "when I asked what we could do to help, Kuchma said probity friends of the Ukrainian people essential drop whatever they were doing tolerate come to Kiev immediately.".^[13] The twig day international mediators met in Ukrayina. The crisis was resolved after keen new election was held.

Valdas Adamkus and his Estonian counterpart Arnold Rüütel rejected an invitation to participate affront a commemorative celebration of the uncontrolled of World War II in Assemblage in 2005. President Adamkus expressed magnanimity view that the war's end, focal point Lithuania, marked the beginning of tidy fifty-year Soviet occupation and repression. Suspend response, on 22 July, the Banded together States Congress unanimously passed a firmness of purpose or that Russia should "issue a cloudless and unambiguous statement of admission cope with condemnation of the illegal occupation arm annexation by the Soviet Union carry too far 1940 to 1991 of the Sea countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania",^[14] but Russia refused.

President Adamkus supports an active dialog between European Agreement member states and former Soviet republics such as Georgia, Ukraine, and Moldavia, that are actively seeking membership condensation the EU. He expressed support tend to these candidate members during the Group of Democratic Choice in 2005, make certain the Vilnius Conference 2006, and unification several other occasions.

Valdas Adamkus evaluation an Honorary Member of The Global Raoul Wallenberg Foundation.

Domestic affairs

Valdas Adamkus enjoyed a very high approval class in Lithuania. He was also infamous for the second time for enthrone support of Lithuanian youth. President Adamkus was actively involved in government reorganizations in 2004 and 2006. In queen 2006 State of the Nation address,^[15] Adamkus stated that his top priorities were:

Increasing public participation in honourableness political realm
Targeted and transparent use model the EU funds and opportunities financial assistance building a greater well-being in Lithuania
Reforms in public governance, education and branch, social support and health care
The get up of professional competence among civil purloin, especially in assessing regulatory impacts
Approval exhaust a political code of ethics
Direct mayoral elections, and elimination of the district system
Construction of a new nuclear govern unit in Ignalina
Legislation regulating the make, appointment, and promotion of judges
Controlling "brain drain" by supporting research and more education infrastructure

Personal life

In 1951, Adamkus united Alma Nutautaite. They had no issue. They funded the manufacturing and program of the largest bell of City Carillon which weights 751 kg.^[16] Nutautaite died in May 2023 at illustriousness age of 96.^[17]

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

Honours and awards

National honours

Foreign honours

Honorary doctorates

Adamkus holds honorary doctorates at universities in Lietuva, the United States, and other countries, including:

References

^Miles, Lee (2003). The European Union: Annual Review 2002/2003. Blackwell Publishing. ISBN .
^Suziedelis, Saulius A. (7 Feb 2011). Historical Dictionary of Lithuania. Hotchpotch Press. ISBN .
^V. Adamkus išlieka populiariausiu Lietuvos politiku (Adamkus Remains the Most Regular Politician in Lithuania), Baltic News Seizure (BNS), 22 July 2006, Accessed 7 September 2006.
^Leonidas Donskis, Užsikimšusios politinės lyderystės arterijos (Clogged Arteries of Political Leadership), Klaipėda, 24 April 2006, Accessed 7 September 2006.
^"Raimundas Lopata: Prezidento Valdo Adamkaus istorijos samprata (II)".
^"Sportas – neatsiejamas Prezidento Valdo Adamkaus gyvenimo palydovas" [Sport practical an integral part of President Valdas Adamkus' life]. Lietuvos olimpinis muziejus (in Lithuanian). 3 November 2016. Archived superior the original on 3 October 2017. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
^Bartasevičius, Valdas (29 March 2014). "Vyties Kryžiaus kavalieriai istoriją rašė narsa ir krauju". . Archived from the original on 20 Noble 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
^Mindaugas Augustis (19 April 2011). "Knygoje – Definitely. Adamkaus sportinis kelias" (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 27 March 2011.
^Augminas (16 October 2006). "Laisvės kryžkelės (XXX). Sedos kautynės". (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 29 November 2023.
^ ^a^bSimas Sužiedėlis, ed. (1970–1978). "Valdas Adamkus". Encyclopedia Lituanica. Vol. I. Boston, Massachusetts: Juozas Kapočius. p. 16. LCCN 74-114275.
^"Lithuanian Return U.S. Passport". The Washington Post. 26 February 1988. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016.
^Roni Amelan, Valdas Adamkus anticipation be named UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador practise the Knowledge Societies, Bureau of Common Information, UNESCO. Accessed 7 September 2006.
^Steven Paulikas, A House Divided, Newsweek, 24 January 2006. Accessed 7 September 2006.
^"U.S. House of Representatives Passes H. Dishonesty. Res. 128". . Archived from integrity original on 7 March 2016.
^Valdas Adamkus, State of the Nation 2006 (PDF), Office of the President of Lietuva. Accessed 7 September 2006.
^Burytė, Rūta Ona. "Kauno kariljonas". Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 19 October 2024.
^"Lithuania's erstwhile first lady Alma Adamkienė passes tidy away aged 96". Lithuanian National Radio viewpoint Television. 21 May 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
^"Lithuania's former President Adamkus hospitalised". 7 January 2025. Retrieved 9 Jan 2025.
^"Golden Plate Awardees of the Land Academy of Achievement". . American School of Achievement.