Lithuania’s first prime minister after the restoration of independence, Kazimira Prunskiene, was laid to rest at Antakalnis Cemetery in Vilnius on 6 August 2026, ELTA reports. Earlier, Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius stated that today’s government could draw inspiration from Prunskiene’s commitment to public service and sense of responsibility, LRT reported. Juozas Olekas, speaker of the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, described Prunskiene as a “person of very democratic leadership” who encouraged initiative. Meanwhile, MEP Vytenis Andriukaitis stated that Prunskiene was “the most outstanding woman” of Lithuania’s second national revival, LRT reported. Foreign media called her the “Amber Lady,” he recalled. During her presidential campaign in 2004, Prunskiene quipped that she would be “a tank in a skirt.” In her later political career, she founded the Lithuanian People’s Party, which pushed for friendlier relations with Russia. Prunskiene died at the age of 83 on 30 July 2026.
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