Lithuania mourns Kazimira Prunskienė, the Amber Lady of independence

Lithuania has lost its first post-Soviet prime minister, Kazimira Danutė Prunskienė, a signatory of the Act of Independence and a key figure in the country’s restoration of sovereignty, LRT reports.

Colleagues remember Prunskienė, often called the Amber Lady, for her pivotal diplomatic mission to the West and her emotional address before the tragic events of January 13, 1991, when Soviet forces stormed the Vilnius TV Tower.

In a discussion on LRT’s Dienos tema, Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis, a fellow signatory of the Act of Independence, described Prunskienė as one of the most prominent women in Lithuania’s modern history. “If we look at 130 years of Lithuanian history, she stands out as the most significant female figure of the second national revival,” he said, comparing her impact to that of Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė during the first revival.

Darius Kuolys, the first minister of culture and education in Prunskienė’s government, recalled her as a woman deeply engaged with Lithuania’s affairs, even after suffering a stroke. “She cared about everything. She reacted vividly, even sang with the first government after her illness,” he said.

Prunskienė led the first government of restored Lithuania, formed on March 11, 1990. Though she was the only woman in a cabinet of men, her leadership was marked by inclusivity and democratic decision-making. “She never imposed her will. The cabinet was made up of independent individuals who listened, debated, and sought common solutions for the good of Lithuania,” Andriukaitis said.

Her government operated under immense pressure, with Soviet troops still stationed in Lithuania, no independent budget, and no national currency. Yet, Prunskienė worked to lay the economic foundations of a sovereign state while facing the constant threat of Soviet intervention. “She stood in the face of uncertainty, not knowing when Russian tanks might roll in, but still building Lithuania every day,” Kuolys said.

Her historic diplomatic tour to the West, where she met with leaders including US President George H.W. Bush, UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, and French President François Mitterrand, is widely credited with forcing Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to engage directly with Lithuania.