The Algirdas Brazauskas reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Jul-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Algirdas Brazauskas

Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas (born September 22, 1932) is Prime Minister and a former President of Lithuania.

He was born in Rokiškis, Lithuania, and graduated from Kaunas Polytechnical Institute in 1956 with a degree in civil engineering. He then worked in various positions in the government of Lithuanian SSR and Communist Party of Lithuania:

• 1965-1967, the minister of construction materials industry of Lithuanian SSR.
• 1967-1977, deputy chairman of State Planning Committee of Lithuanian SSR.
• 1977-1987, secretary of Central Committee of Communist Party of Lithuania.

In 1988, he became the first secretary of Communist Party of Lithuania. Under his leadership, Communist Party of Lithuania supported Lithuanian independence movement, broke away from Communist Party of Soviet Union and transformed itself into social-democratic Lithuanian Democratic Labor Party (now called Lithuanian Social Democratic Party).

After 1992 parliamentary elections, he became the speaker of the parliament and acting President of Lithuania on November 25, 1992. He then won the presidential election with 60% of vote, was confirmed as President on February 25, 1993, and served until February 25, 1998. He decided not to seek reelection in 1998 and was succeeded by Valdas Adamkus who won 1998 election.

He has been Prime Minister since July 3, 2001, appointed by Parliament.

See also: List of national leaders, List of Presidents of Lithuania

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