Former Lithuanian prime minister Kazimira Danutė Prunskienė dies

Kazimira Danutė Prunskienė, a signatory of Lithuania’s Act of Independence and the country’s first prime minister after independence was restored, has died, Delfi.lt reported on Wednesday. Her son, Vaidotas, confirmed the news to the portal.

President Gitanas Nausėda expressed his condolences, calling Prunskienė a key figure in the early days of Lithuania’s statehood. “We have lost a signatory of the Act of March 11, an economist, a stateswoman, and the first prime minister after the restoration of independence, who led the first government of the restored Republic of Lithuania. Under her leadership, the foundations of independent state institutions and economic reforms were laid,” the statement read.

Nausėda highlighted her role in establishing early diplomatic relations and defending Lithuania’s interests on the international stage, ensuring her place in the history of the country’s restoration as one of its first political leaders.

Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius also offered his condolences, describing Prunskienė as a courageous and wise leader during a critical period. “She took on the responsibility of leading the first government under extremely difficult conditions—economic blockade and the aggressive pressure of a collapsing, yet still dangerous, Soviet empire. These were circumstances that demanded bravery and wisdom, qualities she undoubtedly possessed,” he said.

Sinkevičius noted her significant contributions to Lithuania’s international recognition, including her engagement with Western leaders such as George Bush, Helmut Kohl, and Margaret Thatcher. “She worked tirelessly for international activity and recognition, communicating with world leaders. Alongside her deputy prime ministers Romualdas Ozolas, Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas, and Professor Vytautas Landsbergis, she laid the groundwork for modern Lithuania, which we are responsible for continuing to build,” he added.

Born on February 26, 1943, in the Švenčionys district, Prunskienė earned a doctorate in economics and was one of the founders of the Lithuanian Reform Movement (Sąjūdis), later serving on its initiative group and council. Before entering politics, she worked as an economist, a lecturer, and a senior lecturer at Vilnius University’s Faculty of Industrial Economics, where she spent 21 years. She also conducted academic work at universities in Hungary and other countries.

In 1990, she was elected as a deputy in the Supreme Council-Reconstituent Seimas, representing the Verkių electoral district under the Sąjūdis banner. She served on the Economic Commission and, from 1990 to 1991, held the position of prime minister in Lithuania’s first post-independence government, becoming the country’s first female head of government.

Prunskienė was the first Lithuanian politician to meet with US President George Bush, UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, and French President François Mitterrand in 1990. These meetings later compelled Mikhail Gorbachev to negotiate with Lithuania. In 1993, she established an individual consulting firm, serving as its president and business consultant for three years.