Kuolys says Adamkus united people through open leadership

Former adviser Darius Kuolys described Valdas Adamkus as an open, team-oriented president who brought people together, in an interview with LRT marking Adamkus’s 100th birthday.

Kuolys and fellow adviser Albinas Januška, both members of Adamkus’s first-term team, spoke on LRT Television’s programme Dienos tema about how decisions were made during the presidency. Adamkus trusted his advisers and the public, Kuolys said, while discussions focused on what was best for Lithuania rather than personal interests or political image.

The advisers debated how to achieve the country’s strategic goals, Kuolys said, including bringing Lithuania closer to the West and securing membership of NATO and the European Union. Adamkus listened to the arguments before making decisions, he said. “His first term was a period of true leadership, because it was a team,” Kuolys said.

Januška said Lithuania was a candidate for NATO membership and lagged on its path to the European Union when Adamkus became president. By the end of his five-year term, EU accession negotiations had been completed and Lithuania had been invited to begin NATO membership talks, he said. The progress was the work of the whole country, Januška added, noting that Prime Minister Algirdas Brazauskas had also contributed to the EU effort.

Lithuania received the invitation to begin NATO talks in November 2002, during Adamkus’s presidency. US President George W. Bush visited Lithuania at the time and said: “Anyone who would choose Lithuania as an enemy would also become an enemy of the United States.”