Artūras Paulauskas

Artūras Paulauskas
Acting President of Lithuania
In office April 6, 2004 – July 12, 2004
Preceded by	Rolandas Paksas
Succeeded by	Valdas Adamkus
Speaker of the Seimas
In office October 19, 2000 – April 6, 2004
Preceded by	Vytautas Landsbergis
Succeeded by	Česlovas Juršėnas (acting)
In office July 12, 2004 – April 11, 2006
Preceded by	Česlovas Juršėnas (acting)
Succeeded by	Vydas Gedvilas (acting)
Minister of the Environment
In office January 31, 2008 – November 28, 2008
Preceded by	Arūnas Kundrotas
Succeeded by	Gediminas Kazlauskas
Personal details
Born	23 August 1953 (1953-08-23) (age 58) Vilnius, Lithuania (then USSR)
Political party	New Union (Social Liberals) (since 1998) Independent (1989–1998) Communist Party of Lithuania (until 1989)
Spouse(s)	Jolanta Paulauskienė

Artūras Paulauskas  pronunciation (help·info) (born 23 August 1953 in Vilnius) is a Lithuanian politician. He was the Speaker of Seimas, the parliament of Lithuania, from 2000 to 2006, and he served as Acting President of Lithuania from 6 April 2004 to 12 July 2004.^[1]

Early career

Artūras Paulauskas graduated from Vilnius University with a degree in law in 1976. He then worked as an investigator and a prosecutor. He was Deputy Prosecutor General of Lithuania from 1987 to 1990 and Prosecutor General of Lithuania from 1990 to 1995. He was again Deputy Prosecutor General from 1995 to 1997 and was engaged in private legal practice from 1997 to 2000.^[1]

Political career

Artūras Paulauskas entered politics by running for President of Lithuania in the 1997-1998 elections. He was supported by outgoing President Algirdas Brazauskas and narrowly lost in the runoff to Valdas Adamkus, with Paulauskas gaining 49.6% of vote and Adamkus gaining 50.4%. He then established The New Union (Social Liberals) party, becoming its Chairman on 25 April 1998.^[1] This party gained 19.6% of vote in the 2000 parliamentary election. Following this election, he became the Speaker of Seimas on 19 October 2000.

Following the impeachment of President Rolandas Paksas on 6 April 2004, Paulauskas served as acting President of Lithuania until early elections were held and a new President, Valdas Adamkus, was sworn on 12 July 2004.

On 11 April 2006, Paulauskas was removed from office as Speaker by 94 votes (only 11 parliamentarians voted against it). His party New Union (Social Liberals) did not participate in the election. Paulauskas was succeeded by Viktoras Muntianas.

Paulauskas was named as the candidate for the post of Minister of Environment by Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas on 30 January 2008. As Minister, he made a May 2008 statement at a meeting of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development supporting the use of renewable energy resources in Lithuania.^[2]

Footnotes

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Artūras Paulauskas". Seimas of Lithuania. http://www3.lrs.lt/pls/inter/w5_show?p_r=220&p_k=2&p_a=5&p_asm_id=39606&p_kade_id=5. Retrieved 2009-11-07. 
2. ^ "Statement by H.E. Mr. ARTŪRAS PAULAUSKAS". United Nations. http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/csd/csd16/statements/lithuania_14may.pdf. Retrieved 2009-11-07. 

References

• (Lithuanian) [1]. Artūras Paulauskas. Seimas of Lithuania, accessed 2009-11-07.

External links

• (English) Biography from Seimas website.
• (Lithuanian) Personal website

Preceded by Rolandas Paksas

Acting President of Lithuania 2004

Succeeded by Valdas Adamkus

Persondata
Name	Paulauskas, Arturas
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	23 August 1953
Place of birth	Vilnius, Lithuania (then USSR)
Date of death
Place of death