1. Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis was born on 9 August 1951 and is a member of the European Parliament from 2024 July, a former WHO Special Envoy for the European region, a former European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, a heart surgeon, a co-signatory to the 1990 Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania.
In 1976 Andriukaitis started his career in politics as a member of the underground Social Democrat movement, but later continued his studies by pursuing a degree in history at Vilnius University, graduating in 1984.
Vytenis Andriukaitis was elected to the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania, which preceded Seimas, in 1990.
Vytenis Andriukaitis was a member of the Lithuanian Parliament for six terms, from 1992 to 2004 and from 2008 to 2012, and was a deputy chairman of its council from 2001 to 2004.
Vytenis Andriukaitis was a health minister of the Republic of Lithuania since December 2012 until the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker appointed him to serve as an EU Commissioner in November 2014.
Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis was born in Kyusyur, Yakut Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, USSR.
Vytenis Andriukaitis excelled at school and was awarded a "Gold medal" upon his graduation from Kaunas Middle School in 1969.
Vytenis Andriukaitis continued his studies, pursuing a degree in history at Vilnius University, graduating in 1984.
Vytenis Andriukaitis did not join the Communist party during his university years and was instead a member of the underground Social Democratic movement for independent Lithuania.
In 1975 Vytenis Andriukaitis started his medical internship at Kaunas 3rd Hospital.
Vytenis Andriukaitis was offered to go to Ignalina, in north-east part of the country, where Andriukaitis spent eight years at Ignalina Central Hospital.
Vytenis Andriukaitis was under continuous pressure and scrutiny from the government, due to his involvement in underground political resistance movement.
In 1989 Vytenis Andriukaitis was appointed a cardiovascular surgeon and became a member of the Lithuanian Physicians' Association and Lithuanian Cardiologists' Association.
Vytenis Andriukaitis practiced medicine until 1993, when the new Constitution of Lithuania forbade Members of Parliament to take part in other non-parliamentary activities.
Vytenis Andriukaitis was an active participant in the anti-Soviet underground movement.
In 1976 Vytenis Andriukaitis started his career in politics as a member of the underground Social Democratic movement, participating in their many activities.
Vytenis Andriukaitis was a founder of the University of Antanas Strazdelis, an underground "university", where members of the resistance movement studied works of the prohibited authors, exchanged books from personal libraries and practiced a humanist way of life.
In 1976 Vytenis Andriukaitis was arrested and questioned by the KGB, and forced by the Soviet government to not leave Ignalina for three years, where he was under supervision by the local KGB office.
In 1990 Vytenis Andriukaitis was elected a Supreme Soviet Deputy for Lithuanian Republic, a chair he held until 1992.
Vytenis Andriukaitis was a member of the Committee of Health and Social Affairs, chairman of Health Subcommittee, member of a working group which prepared the charter of March 11 in advance of the 1990 signing of the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania.
Vytenis Andriukaitis was a member of a working group on National Science and National Health Concept Development during these years.
Vytenis Andriukaitis was one of the co-authors of the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, which was adopted in 1992.
In 1992, Vytenis Andriukaitis became a Member of Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania, a vice-chairman of Health and Social Affairs Committee, the deputy chair of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party Parliamentary Group, and a member of the National Security Concept Development Working Group.
Vytenis Andriukaitis was a candidate for the president of the Republic of Lithuania in 1997, and in 2002.
In 1999 Vytenis Andriukaitis was elected an LSDP chairman, serving two years.
In 2000, Vytenis Andriukaitis was elected for his third term as a Member of Parliament of Lithuania and continued as a member of the Conference of Chairs of Parliamentary Groups and joined Parliamentary Council.
Vytenis Andriukaitis became a member of Convention on the Future of Europe and leader of the Lithuanian delegation.
Vytenis Andriukaitis decided to not hinder the law enforcement authorities in carrying out an investigation in order to clear his name.
On 6 September 2005 Vytenis Andriukaitis won the legal proceedings against the former Prosecutor General of the Republic of Lithuania when the latter publicly apologized for his words about the allegations.
Vytenis Andriukaitis was elected for his fourth term as an MP in 2008 and was appointed a deputy chairman of the Committee on European Affairs; he remained a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and a vice-chairman of LSDP.
In 2012, Vytenis Andriukaitis was appointed a Lithuanian Minister of Health in the 16th Lithuanian Government.
In 1994 Vytenis Andriukaitis became a delegate in the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly for the Lithuanian Parliament, a Parliamentary Assembly Member of the Council of Europe's Human Rights and Legal Affairs Committee.
Vytenis Andriukaitis was a chairman of the European Affairs Committee.
On 10 September 2014 Vytenis Andriukaitis was appointed by the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker as the European Commissioner-designate responsible for Health and Food Safety.
Vytenis Andriukaitis later published a blog entry explaining his objections to the speech.
Vytenis Andriukaitis was elected in the 2024 European Parliament election, he is a member of ENVI committee, a coordinator in SANT committee and a substitute in AFCO committee.
In November 2024, Vytenis Andriukaitis was one of only seven members of the 105-strong Lithuanian Social Democratic Party council to vote in opposition to a coalition with the nationalist party Dawn of Nemunas, whose founder Remigijus Zemaitaitis is known for antisemitic statements.