Explore the vast range of titles available.

Vilnius, 28th August: The Lithuanian Conservative party [Homeland Union - Lithuanian Conservatives] appealed on Monday [28th August] to the Ministry of Justice with a request to reconsider its decision on recognizing the Union of Moderate Conservatives, a group of defectors from the ruling Conservative party, headed by a former party member, Gediminas Vagnorius.

This year, [Gediminas Vagnorius] and his supporters were expelled from the Conservative party for levelling constant criticisms at the Andrius Kubilius-led Conservative government.

Vilnius, 3rd July: Supporters of Lithuanian former prime minister, Gediminas Vagnorius, founded on Sunday [2nd July] the Moderate Conservative Union, which will promote the idea of \"national solidarity\" to the country's people. In his speech, Vagnorius criticized severely the policy pursued by the present government of Conservatives [Homeland Union - Lithuanian Conservatives], Andrius Kubilius. Vagnorius was one of the leaders of the ruling Conservative party up until his eviction from the party last year following his resignation from the prime minister's office, which was caused by his strained relations with the leader of the Conservative party, the parliamentary chairman, Vytautas Landsbergis.

Vilnius, 21st February: A group of supporters of Lithuania'sformer prime minister Gediminas Vagnorius who suspended hismembership in the ruling Conservative party [Homeland Union-Lithuanian Conservatives] last week have announced their plansof founding a new right-wing party. The `Lietuvos Rytas' daily newspaper quoted the former primeminister's supporter in the Conservative party as saying thatthe new political bloc would be established after the electionsto the local councils on 19th March in order to avoidaccusations of attempting to damage the Conservatives during thepolls.

The new cabinet of Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius does nothave a great deal of choice: it can pursue a ruthless austerityregime or the state will have to default on its debt repayment,according to Rimvydas Valatka, a columnist of the `LietuvosRytas' newspaper. Valatka's views were broadcast on Lithuanianradio on 17th November. Valatka noted that it would be a gravemistake to try and continue the policy of spending, which waspursued by the former prime minister, Gediminas Vagnorius, whonow is trying to bank on sweet memories of the times when thecountry was financing its illusionary well-being by borrowingmoney. Today's troubles simply mean that the payback time hascome, Valatka said. The following is text of Valatka'sappearance on the radio:

At 4.30 that historic morning, Mr. [Gediminas Vagnorius] took the oath to become prime minister of the fledgling democracy as Soviet troops and their tanks remained outside surrounding the parliament buildings. After Saturday's ceremony, Mr. Vagnorius said that during those dark days three years ago, he never expected to be marking such a key event in his nation's history in the basement of a Hamilton elementary school. When asked what led to the reformers' downfall, Mr. Vagnorius blamed the difficulty many Lithuanians had adapting to living with the uncertainty of a free-market economy.

Confiscated by the Germans, then concealed by the Soviets, a treasure trove of 370 Torah scrolls and Jewish books languished in a church in Vilnius, previously called Vilna, the bygone thriving center of Ashkenazi Jewish life. Once the property of YIVO, a research institute founded in Vilna and now based in New York, the Telshe Yeshiva and numerous synagogues, the Judaica was claimed - but not cared for - by the National Library of Lithuania. YIVO officials tried for years to gain access to the books. The materials were the legacy of the Jews of what once was Vilna, in Poland, YIVO argued, not of a state library in what is now Vilnius, Lithuania. Yet others said that having the materials moved to the Jewish Museum would prove to be a mixed blessing. On one hand, that would place the Judaica in Jewish hands. But, once it was in Jewish hands, it was unlikely that the Judaica would be permitted to leave the country. \"Let's say they find space on the shelves and catalog it. Then what?\" asked one researcher who sought to have the Judaica moved to the US. \"What use will it be to scholars? So then it will languish in Jewish hands.\"

(CP) - The separatist prime minister of Lithuania said Wednesday there is no comparison between Quebec and Lithuania and he suggested that Quebec independence is an artificial issue. [Joe Clark] spokesman Abbie Dann said Clark offered no promises and none were requested. [Gediminas Vagnorius] updated Clark on the situation in Lithuania. \"The question of Lithuania or the Baltics could not be considered equal to the issue of Quebec,\" he said, speaking through a translator. \"The situation in Lithuania is related to the decolonization process.\"

We can say that it was thanks to the ability of Kutraite to create a positive image of her protege that Paksas soon became not only the most popular mayor but also one of the most popular among Lithuanian politicians. In spring of 1999, the government of Gediminas Vagnorius resigned and President Valdas Adamkus was looking for a new Conservative [Homeland Union - Lithuanian Conservatives] prime minister. One of the criteria why Paksas was chosen was his high ratings. In 2001, the Liberal [Lithuanian Liberal Union] and Social Liberal [New Union - Social Liberals] governing coalition collapsed and Paksas had to resign once again. This is often ascribed to the fact that at that time, Kutraite was working in the Seimas [parliament] and not the government. Well-aware of how to make politics and relax tension, she would have been able to help the coalition partners find a common language. Meanwhile, in the Seimas, Kutraite was practically invisible - most people only remember a little scandal related to her attempt to employ her son as an adviser, when she initiated an amendment to the parliamentary statute allowing people without higher education to take up such positions. [Jonas Lionginas], who was then the secretary of the Finance Ministry, came to the public eye due to the scandal over forced resignation of the senior customs officer, Algimantas Budrys. On the order of Prime Minister Gediminas Vagnorius, Lionginas was ardently collecting compromising information about Budrys. However, the story was soon forgotten and Paksas, who replaced Vagnorius as prime minister, offered Lionginas a political appointment and he became the finance minister. Lionginas soon became Paksas's closest ally, who together with Maldeikis worked on the \"improvement\" of the contract with Williams, which resulted in a debt amounting to billions.