Independence Act signatory Povilas Varanauskas dies

Lithuanian Independence Act signatory, deportee and public figure Povilas Varanauskas has died at the age of 85, LRT reported, citing the Seimas Chancellery. He died on Sunday after a serious illness.

Varanauskas was born on February 21, 1941, in the village of Kalneliškiai in Pasvalys district. He was deported to the Tomsk region at the age of three months and returned from exile in 1947.

A qualified mechanical engineer, Varanauskas worked at Kaunas Polytechnic Institute, published more than 100 academic articles and created about 400 inventions.

He was actively involved in Lithuania’s national revival movement, serving as a delegate to the founding congress of the Sąjūdis movement and as a member of its council. He was also one of the founders of the Lithuanian Deportees’ Club and editor of the weekly newspaper Tremtinys.

On June 14, 1989, Varanauskas organised Lithuania’s first Day of Mourning and Hope event.

He was elected a deputy to the Supreme Council-Reconstituent Seimas on February 24, 1990, and voted for the restoration of Lithuania’s independence on March 11 that year.

In parliament, Varanauskas worked on education, science and culture, citizens’ rights, nationalities and the rights of resistance movement participants. After leaving parliament, he continued his public activities and served on the council of the Lithuanian Union of Political Prisoners and Deportees.

In 2000, he received the Independence Medal for his contribution to restoring and consolidating the independent Lithuanian state.