Rolandas Paksas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rolandas Paksas
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Paksas in 2018
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| 6th President of Lithuania | |
| In office 26 February 2003 – 6 April 2004 |
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| Prime Minister | Algirdas Brazauskas |
| Preceded by | Valdas Adamkus |
| Succeeded by | Artūras Paulauskas (Acting) |
| Member of European Parliament | |
| In office 4 June 2009 – 1 July 2019 |
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| 9th and 11th Prime Minister of Lithuania | |
| In office 26 October 2000 – 20 June 2001 |
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| President | Valdas Adamkus |
| Preceded by | Andrius Kubilius |
| Succeeded by | Eugenijus Gentvilas (Acting) |
| In office 18 May 1999 – 27 October 1999 |
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| President | Valdas Adamkus |
| Preceded by | Irena Degutienė (Acting) |
| Succeeded by | Irena Degutienė (Acting) |
| Leader of the Opposition | |
| In office 12 July 2001 – 1 November 2001 |
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| Succeeded by | Gintaras Steponavičius (interim) |
| Member of the Seimas | |
| In office 19 October 2000 – 15 February 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Aloyzas Sakalas |
| Succeeded by | Andrius Kubilius |
| Constituency | Antakalnis |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 June 1956 Telšiai, Lithuanian SSR, Soviet Union (now Lithuania) |
| Political party | Communist Party of Lithuania (1983~1989) Democratic Labour Party (1989–1995) Homeland Union (1995–1999) Liberal Union (1999–2002) Order and Justice (2002~2003, 2004–2018) Independent (2003~2004, 2018–present) |
| Spouse | Laima Paksienė |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Vilnius Gediminas Technical University Leningrad Civil Aviation Academy |
| Profession | Pilot, Politician, Businessman, Engineer. |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Lithuania |
| Branch/service | .png){kind=small} National Defence Volunteer Forces |
| Rank |  Major |
Rolandas Paksas was born on June 10, 1956. He is a Lithuanian politician who served as the sixth President of Lithuania. He was president from 2003 until April 2004, when he was removed from office.
Before becoming president, he was the Prime Minister of Lithuania twice. He also served as the Mayor of Vilnius, the capital city. From 2009 to 2019, he was a member of the European Parliament. Paksas was also a national champion in aerobatics, which is like flying stunts in an airplane.
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Early Life and Education
Rolandas Paksas was born in Telšiai, Lithuania. He studied civil engineering at the Vilnius Gediminas Technical University. Later, he also graduated from the Saint Petersburg State University of Civil Aviation.
During his younger years, Paksas was a talented pilot. He competed in aerobatics, which involves performing amazing tricks and maneuvers in an airplane. He was part of both Soviet and Lithuanian teams and won several championships. Before entering politics, he ran a construction company called "Restako" from 1992 to 1997.
Political Journey
Becoming Mayor and Prime Minister
Rolandas Paksas started his political career in the early 1990s. He first joined a left-leaning party. In 1995, he changed to a more conservative party called the Homeland Union. This was a big shift in his political views.
In 1997, he was elected to the Vilnius City Council. Soon after, he became the Mayor of Vilnius, the capital city. He held this job until 1999.
In May 1999, Paksas was chosen to be the Prime Minister of Lithuania. This was after the previous Prime Minister resigned. His party had many seats in the parliament, which helped him get the job. He became Prime Minister in June 1999.
However, his first time as Prime Minister lasted only five months. He resigned in October 1999. This happened because of a disagreement about selling a large oil refinery to a US company. After resigning, he worked as a special envoy for the President.
Paksas then joined a different party, the Liberal Union of Lithuania. In April 2000, he became the Mayor of Vilnius again. Later that year, he was appointed Prime Minister for a second time. He served from November 2000 to June 2001. This term also ended due to disagreements within the government.
In March 2002, Paksas started his own party, the Liberal Democratic Party. He wanted to be seen as a leader who would bring new ideas and changes to Lithuania.
President of Lithuania
A Surprise Election Victory
On January 5, 2003, Rolandas Paksas was elected President of Lithuania. This was a big surprise because he won against the current president, Valdas Adamkus. In the first round of voting, Paksas was in second place. But in the final round, he won with more than half of the votes.
His campaign promised to help people who were struggling. He wanted to reduce poverty and fight corruption. He also talked about making the economy stronger. Paksas became president on February 26, 2003.
Challenges and Removal from Office
Soon after he became president, there were concerns about his connections. One of his campaign supporters, a businessman named Yury Borisov, had given a lot of money to Paksas's campaign. It was alleged that Paksas then granted Borisov Lithuanian citizenship in a way that was not allowed by law. The country's highest court later said this was against the constitution.
Investigations also raised concerns about national security. These issues led to a process called impeachment in early 2004. Impeachment is when the parliament tries to remove a president from office.
On April 6, 2004, the Lithuanian Parliament (Seimas) voted to remove Paksas from his position. He was removed for three main reasons:
- Granting citizenship improperly.
- Sharing secret information.
- Getting involved in a business deal in a wrong way.
Rolandas Paksas was the first head of state in Europe to be removed from office through impeachment. This event showed Lithuania's commitment to holding its leaders accountable.
After the Presidency
After being removed from office, Paksas was not allowed to run for the Lithuanian parliament (Seimas). This ban was for life. However, in 2011, the European Court of Human Rights said that this lifetime ban was too harsh.
Because of this ruling, the Lithuanian Parliament changed the Constitution in April 2022. Now, people who have been impeached can run for parliament again after ten years. This means Paksas can now run for office again.
From 2009 to 2019, Paksas served as a Member of the European Parliament. After leaving that role, he has mostly stepped away from active politics. His time as president is still discussed today. Many see his impeachment as an important moment for political responsibility in Lithuania.
Personal Life
Rolandas Paksas is married to Laima Paksienė. They have two children, Inga and Mindaugas. He is still a skilled stunt pilot and sometimes performs around the world. In 2006, he even completed a 47-day flight around the world!
See also
In Spanish: Rolandas Paksas para niños
