Colleagues remember Prunskienė as a dynamic figure who established democratic traditions

Colleagues of the late Kazimira Prunskienė, Lithuania’s first prime minister after independence was restored, remember her as a dynamic and energetic figure who helped establish democratic governance traditions, reports BNS/LRT.

Darius Kuolys, Lithuania’s first minister of culture and education after independence, said Prunskienė introduced democratic state governance traditions and created new ones, many of which remain in place in the government today.

“She was a dynamic figure of the Sąjūdis movement. Together with Romualdas Ozolas, Algirdas Brazauskas, Seimas Speaker Vytautas Landsbergis, and many others in Sąjūdis, she laid the foundations in the Seimas for a modern Lithuania and its independent economy. She also made significant contributions to foreign policy. Prunskienė managed to break the ice. Her visits to Western countries to seek recognition for Lithuania were very important,” Kuolys said.

He noted that Prunskienė faced a major challenge: building an independent Lithuanian state with its own budget. “And Kazimira Prunskienė successfully handled most of it,” he added.

Algirdas Saudargas, who served as foreign minister in Prunskienė’s government, remembered her as a very strong and determined individual. “Both as prime minister and as a person, she was a very strong personality, full of energy. I think that at that time, such people were exactly what was needed, because otherwise it would have been impossible to solve the tasks facing the first government,” Saudargas said.

He described the period as tense and restless, with differing opinions and disagreements, but noted that goodwill always prevailed. “I think our government, led by Prunskienė, met those challenges and resolved most of what Lithuania needed,” he said.

Prunskienė died on July 30 at the age of 83. She was an active participant in Lithuanian politics for several decades. In 2012, she suffered a stroke, which affected her speech, and she did not return to active politics due to health reasons.