Juršėnas fondly remembers Kazimiros Prunskienė's 'amber smile'

Česlovas Juršėnas, a signatory of Lithuania's Act of Re-Establishment, has shared warm recollections of Kazimiros Prunskienė, the nation's first post-Soviet Prime Minister. Juršėnas first met Prunskienė in 1988, during the early days of Sąjūdis, the Lithuanian independence movement.

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She was one of the brightest stars. Besides all her pluses, she was also a beautiful lady with a very nice smile, which I called – and others called – amber, not plastic, like the Americans. With that amber smile, she conquered the West too.

He described Prunskienė as a highly active and serious economics specialist who advocated for economic self-sufficiency even then. She later became a prominent figure in the broader liberation movement. Juršėnas noted that Prunskienė stood out not only for her professional knowledge and political resolve but also for her personal qualities that captured the attention of foreign leaders.

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Her amber smile was on the front pages. She was truly one of the brightest stars of the first transformation years, and she remains so in my memory.

"She was one of the brightest stars," Juršėnas said, recalling her distinctive "amber smile," which he contrasted with the "plastic" smiles of Americans. He believes this genuine smile helped her win over the West. When Prunskienė visited the United States, United Kingdom, France, West Germany, and Canada in the spring of 1990, she became a leading face of the young Lithuania on the international stage, with her "amber smile" gracing front pages.

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There was everything afterwards – black, hard work transforming the Soviet command economy into a market economy. There was everything, but her footprints, the work done, remain.

Juršėnas acknowledged the difficult decisions and hard work involved in transforming Lithuania's Soviet-era command economy into a market economy in the years that followed. However, he emphasized Prunskienė's lasting contributions to building an independent state. He particularly credited her role, alongside other leaders, in ensuring Lithuania's resilience against Moscow's pressure, especially during the economic blockade.

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The most important thing is that she, along with our other leaders, ensured Lithuania's resilience against Moscow's pressure, especially during the economic blockade.