Nausėda and Sinkevičius congratulate Adamkus on 100th birthday

President Gitanas Nausėda and Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius have congratulated former president Valdas Adamkus on his 100th birthday, praising his service to Lithuania and his role in guiding the country towards closer ties with the West, LRT reported.

In his message, Nausėda said Adamkus’s life and work had become an inseparable part of Lithuania’s history. He recalled Adamkus’s involvement in anti-Soviet and anti-Nazi resistance as a young man and said that, after leaving Lithuania, he remained committed to the country’s independence while living and working in the United States.

“After half a century, having gained unique experience and wisdom in the free world, you returned to your homeland to make a significant contribution to building a free Lithuania,” Nausėda said. Adamkus was elected president twice and, Nausėda added, led the restored state on its path to establishing itself in the Western community.

Nausėda thanked Adamkus for his dedication to Lithuania and said his example showed that politics could be a noble form of service to the state and its people. He wished the former president good health, energy and moments of joy.

Sinkevičius said Adamkus had written meaningful chapters in Lithuania’s history and left future generations of politicians an example grounded in fundamental values. He praised Adamkus’s commitment to the country, his respect for people and his ability to bring them together.

Adamkus was born in Kaunas on November 3, 1926. He served as president from 1998 to 2003 and from 2004 to 2009, and made a significant contribution to Lithuania’s membership of the European Union and NATO.