Former President Adamkus Secures Victory in Lithuanian Elections 🇱🇹

(27 Jun 2004)

1. Wide shot Vilnius, capital of Lithuania
2. Mid shot Vilnius buildings
3. Mid shot election poster
4. Close up of Lithuanian and EU flags near an polling station
5. Valdus Adamkus, one of the two leading candidates with wife walking in to polling station
6. Photographers
7. Close up Adamkus' wife as Adamkus walks out of booth, wide shot Adamkus casting ballot and walking towards the media
8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Valdus Adamkus, Presidential candidate:
"I believe that there is no doubt in anybody's mind where do we belong, what we are trying to do, I hope that the elections will prove it. And my personal goal is to see Lithuanian people happy and definitely looking forward."
(Q. How do you feel about these elections in general?)
"I would say that this is a correct and democratic process. I don't have any complaints about it."
9. Various of Adamkus and his wife walking away from polling station
10. Adamkus and his wife get into car and driving away
11. Mid shot election commission staff counting papers
12. Close up of hands with papers
13. Mid shot people placing votes in ballot box
14. Kazimiera Prunskiene, Presidential candidate, entering building ++QUALITY AS INCOMING++
15. Prunskiene voting
16. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Kasimiera Prunskiene, Presidential candidate:
"I've seen people coming here and listened to what they said and what they will do. The general mood is warm and I'm very much impressed by their attitude. My sleep has been undisturbed so far."
17. Voters presenting identification documents
18. Wide shot Vilnius city centre

STORYLINE:

Former president Valdas Adamkus won a second term Sunday, beating ex-Prime Minister Kazimira Prunskiene in a runoff less than two months after her ally was ousted from office for divulging state secrets.

With all of the country's 2,038 polling stations counted, the Central
Election Commission said that Adamkus had 52.2 percent of the ballots cast,
compared with 47.8 percent for Prunskiene.

Champagne corks popped after midnight in the fancy downtown Forum Palace
restaurant, where Adamkus and hundreds of his supporters celebrated his
victory.

The victory was also revenge of sorts for the 77-year-old former exile who
spent five decades in the United States.

He was beaten by Paksas in January 2003 in a runoff despite his efforts at
shepherding the Baltic state into the European Union and NATO.

Prunskiene, leader of the Peasant's Party, conceded the race early Monday.

Prunskiene was elected to the European Parliament June 13, but gave up the
seat in her bid to become president.

In Lithuania's parliamentary system, the president is not involved in
day-to-day running of the country but plays a critical role in forming new
governments.

Prunskiene had the backing of Paksas, who was forced out of office in
April for divulging state secrets and appointing an aide with ties to the
Russian mafia.

Adamkus, who moved back to this former Soviet republic in 1997 after five
decades in exile in the United States, came in first with 30.5 percent,
falling short of predictions, while Prunskiene won 21.3 percent, twice the
amount of votes he was expected to win in the first round.

As president from 1998-2003, Adamkus laid the groundwork for Lithuania's
membership in NATO and the European Union, which was achieved this year.

Though popular with Lithuania's new middle class, he lost his 2003 bid for
re-election to Paksas by a wafer-thin margin.

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