She tried to negotiate independence through pragmatism; her resignation removed the last obstacle to the military option
She wept before her cabinet. "It seems we have failed to achieve anything. We are doomed."
Lithuania's first post-independence prime minister (1990–1991), she led the country through the most dramatic ten months of the Soviet collapse. A founding member of Sąjūdis, she rose from deputy prime minister of the Lithuanian SSR to prime minister, and as the 'Amber Lady' (a name the Western press coined after her meetings with Bush, Thatcher, and Kohl) she gave the newborn republic a diplomatic presence. Unlike the uncompromising parliamentary chairman Vytautas Landsbergis, she was a pragmatist who sought negotiated exit, but on 8 January 1991 Gorbachev refused her request for a guarantee of no military action; she resigned the next day. Five days later Soviet forces killed 14 civilians in Vilnius. She narrowly lost the 2004 presidential runoff to Valdas Adamkus and later served as agriculture minister.
Career Timeline
- 1965–1986Instructor and docent in industrial economics, Vilnius University
- 1986–1988Deputy director, Agricultural Economics Research Institute, Lithuanian SSR
- 1989–1990Deputy chair, Council of Ministers, Lithuanian SSR
- 1990.03–1991.01Prime Minister of the Republic of Lithuania
- 1995–1998Chair, Lithuanian Women's Party
- 1996–2004Member of the Seimas
- 2004–2008Minister of Agriculture
Related historical events
- 1988–1991The Nationalities Crisis and the Collapse of Central AuthorityLithuanian prime minister who tried to prevent military interventionShe met Gorbachev on 8 January 1991 to seek a guarantee of no military action, was refused, and resigned; her removal eliminated the last obstacle to the hardliners' military option.
- 1987–1991The Baltic Independence Movement and the Baltic WayFirst Prime Minister of LithuaniaAppointed prime minister right after the declaration, she led the anti-blockade commission; on 8 January 1991 she asked Gorbachev for a no-military-action guarantee, was refused, and resigned.
The Blockade and Resignation: The Limits of Pragmatism
When the Lithuanian Supreme Council declared the restoration of independence on 11 March 1990, Gorbachev issued an ultimatum on 13 April demanding its repeal within two days. Lithuania refused, and on 18 April the Soviet Union launched an economic blockade. Crude oil supplies to the Mažeikiai refinery were cut off, natural gas deliveries reduced by 84%, and coal, electricity, pharmaceuticals, and foodstuffs were blocked. Borders were sealed and Lithuania's bank accounts frozen.
Prunskienė's cabinet faced a double burden: it had to build the economic foundations of a state that had no international recognition, no national currency, and no budget, while Soviet troops remained stationed on its soil. She chose a pragmatic course. Whereas parliamentary chairman Vytautas Landsbergis insisted on the full implementation of the independence declaration, Prunskienė argued for compromise and phased negotiations with Moscow.
In May 1990 she toured the United States, Britain, France, and West Germany, meeting President Bush, Prime Minister Thatcher, President Mitterrand, and Chancellor Kohl in rapid succession. At a time when the Cold War was still underway, the spectacle of a constituent republic's prime minister being received at the White House and Downing Street was itself a diplomatic breakthrough. The Western press dubbed her the 'Amber Lady,' a counterpart to Thatcher's 'Iron Lady.' These meetings left Gorbachev with little choice but to come to the negotiating table, and on 2 July the blockade was lifted after 74 days.
But the damage to the Lithuanian economy was severe. Total losses exceeded 500 million roubles, or 1.5% of GNP, and thousands of workers lost their jobs. The lifting of the blockade did not resolve the underlying tensions.
In early January 1991, Prunskienė's government introduced sweeping price hikes as a step toward market reform, sparking fierce backlash from workers. At the same time, Soviet forces were preparing for military action under the pretext of enforcing conscription. On 8 January she met Gorbachev in Moscow and asked for a guarantee of no military action; he refused.
That night, back in Vilnius, she wept before her cabinet: 'It seems we have failed to achieve anything. We are doomed.' Facing calls for her resignation, she stepped down as prime minister on 9 January. Five days later, on 13 January, Soviet forces stormed the Vilnius TV tower and broadcasting centre, killing 14 unarmed civilians. Her resignation had removed the last political buffer standing in the way of the military option.