Vytenis Andriukaitis

Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis (born August 9, 1951 in Yakut, USSR)^[1] is a Lithuanian physician, politician, and signatory of the 1990 Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania.

Andriukaitis's family was deported to Siberia in June 1941. He, his mother, and his two older brothers were allowed to return in 1958; his father returned in 1959.^[2] He enrolled in medical school in Kaunas, graduating in 1975. Andriukaitis entered politics in 1976 as a Social Democrat, going on to receive a degree in history from Vilnius University in 1984. He was elected to the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania in 1990.^[3] He served in the Seimas from 1992 to 2004, and was its deputy chairman of its board from 2001 to 2004.^[4] Now Andriukaitis is a member of Seimas and the Minister of Health.

Education and professional activities

• In 1969 graduated with honours from Kaunas 24th high school.
• 1969-1975 studied at the Kaunas Medical Institute and obtained a medical doctor specialty (surgery specialization).
• 1979-1984 studied at the University of Vilnius, received a degree summa cum laude and gained a historian, history and political science teacher specialty.

Medical career

• 1975-1976 surgeon at Kaunas 3rd Hospital.
• 1976-1984 surgeon at central hospital in Ignalina district.
• In 1979 completed specialization courses in general surgery at the University of Vilnius.
• In 1980 completed specialization courses of war surgery in Military Hospital in Riga district.
• In 1982 completed abdominal surgery specialization courses at Vilnius University.
• In 1983 completed trauma and orthopaedics surgery specialization courses at University of Vilnius.
• In 1984 became a surgeon in the second category.
• 1985-1993 was the cardiac surgeon of Heart Surgery Centre at Republican Clinical Hospital in Vilnius.
• In 1987 finished heart and vascular surgery specialization courses in Moscow Bakulev Cardiovascular Institute.
• In 1989 became a first category cardiovascular surgeon.
• 1998-2004 became a member of International Doctors’ Association.
• 1989-1996 became a member of Lithuanian Doctors’ Association.
• Since 1989 became a member of Lithuanian Heart Association.
• 2006-2008 lectured in the State Environmental Health Centre, also prepared projects in health law, and social issues.

Political Career

• Since 1969 was active participant in the anti-Soviet underground.
• Since 1976 participated in the underground Social Democratic Circle activities.
• 1975-1982 studied in the underground of Antanas Strazdelis humanitarian thought and self- education University.
• In 1976 was arrested and questioned by the KGB, also arrested and punished three-year compulsory registration of Ignalina by the Soviet government, the controlled by the local KGB office.
• 1988-1989 actively supported the restoration of the LSDP(Social Democratic Party of Lithuania) was the member of LSDP restoring the activity of steering group, also was the member of the Lithuanian Reform Movement, participated in the preparation and legalization of LSDP Lithuanian Movement for elections to the Lithuanian LTSR AT (Lithuanian Soviet Socialist *Republic, the Supreme Council) programs.
• 1988-1989 was a member of the working group on LTSR concept of self-sufficiency training (social security, health care reform and public administration).
• In the period of 1989-1999 and 2001 LSDP became the deputy chairman.
• 1999-2001 became LSDP chairman.
• 1990-1992 has become Supreme Soviet deputy of Lithuanian Republic, also a member of Committee of Health and Social Affairs, a Chairman of Health Subcommittee, a member of Working Group who prepared March 11 day documents on the 1990, signatory of the Independence Act of Independent Lithuanian, a member of Working Group of National Science and the National Health Concept Development.
• 1990-1992 was one of the authors of Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania adopted in 1992.
• 1990-2004 became a delegation’s member of the Baltic Assembly of Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania.
• 1992-1996 has become a Member of Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania, Vice-Chairman of Health and Social Affairs Committee, the elder’s deputy of Lithuanian Social Democratic Party Group, and a member of National Security Concept Development Working Group.
• 1994-1996 became a member in delegation in Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly of Lithuanian Republic Parliament, also a member of Human Rights and Legal Affairs Committee of Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly's.
• 1996-2000 Member of Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania, also a member of the Assembly of Elders, a member of State and local government committee, the elder of Lithuanian Social Democratic Party faction, and the member of Lithuanian Republic Parliament and a member of the Polish Republic Parliament of the Parliamentary Assembly.
• In 1997 and 2002 candidate for the office of President of the Republic of Lithuania.
• In 2000 April–November member of the Council of Vilnius City.
• 2000-2004 Member of Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania, also member of the Parliament Board, and member of the Assembly of Elders.
• In 2000 October - 2001 August The opposition leader of Parliament, became the elder of Lithuanian Republic Parliament of Social Democratic coalition faction (Lithuanian Democratic Labour Party, the LSDP, and the Russian Union of Lithuania).
• In 2001 July - 2004 July became the deputy of Chairman of the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania, and was responsible for the coordination of the parliamentary committees commissions and the Parliament and the European integration program, including the planning and management of human and financial resources, the chairman of European Affairs Committee, a member of Foreign Affairs Committee, Legal Affairs, NATO Commission, and replacement member of the Commission on the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania.
• In 2002 May 23 the initiator for Lithuania Forum on the Future.
• In 2002 February–July 2003 the member of Convention on the Future of Europe, leader of Lithuanian delegation.
• In 2004 July 28 th he voluntarily withdrew the Parliament mandate after the Parliament refused to revoke the immunity of unjustified allegations of corruption. He decided not to hinder law enforcement authorities to carry out an investigation in order to clarify the grounds for suspicion. Lithuanian Prosecutor General's Office terminated the pre-trial investigation because the allegations were unfounded.
• In 2005 September 6 th he won legal proceedings against the former Attorney General of the Republic of Lithuania on the honour and dignity when the defendant publicly apologized for his words of debate on family materials on the allegations. The case was concluded the peace treaty.
• 2008 – 2012 became the deputy chairman of Lithuanian Parliament of the Republic Committee on European Affairs, the member of Foreign Affairs Committee and Vice-Chairman LSDP.
• Since 2012 December 13 – has become the Lithuanian Minister of Health of 16 th Lithuanian governments.

Publications

• 1990-2004 the author of more than 140 legislative proposals and amendments.
• 2002-2003 The author and co-author of the indemnities of Convention on the Future of Europe.
• 1990-2004 Co-author and editor of Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania and the Parliamentary Committee on European Affairs publications:
  • Parliament on the road of Lithuania to the European Union;
  • The role of parliament in the EU's membership conditions;
  • 1997-2003 Joint Interparliamentary Committee of accession to the EU activities — Lithuanian activities;
  • In International Conference “Baltic freedom: West approach to 1983 January 13th European Parliament resolution “on the situation in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania,” the 20th anniversary of the material;
  • Material “International Conference on National Constitution in the context of EU enlargement”;
  • Materials, including the declaration in the international conference on “The enlarged EU and the wider European vision”;
  • Debates on the future of Europe.
• In 2006 “Social Democrats in Lithuanian Parliaments”.

Other professional career

2004-2008 Director of public institution of “Social Economic Research Institute”.

Awards

• 1996 - 1991 January 13 commemorative medal.
• In 2000 – 10 year anniversary of Lithuanian Independence Medal.
• In 2002 the Baltic Assembly Medal supporting Baltic unity and cooperation.
• In 2003 - The Portuguese Government’s Orden do Merito Gra-Cruz.
• In 2004 – Lithuanian’s Grand Duke Gediminas Commander's Cross.
• In 2004 - Lithuania's accession to the European Union on the occasion of the commemorative medal.
• In 2004 - Lithuania's accession to NATO occasion a memorable statue of “Gražina”.
• In 2004 - honorary member of Lithuanian Law University.
• In 2005 - Merit medicine as one of the initiators of the development of the Lithuanian national health concept and the Lithuanian legal framework for the health system.
• In 2010 – Award of Restoration of Independence 20th anniversary medal.

References