Daktaro Kazio Bobelio politinė biografija. Kn. 2. Už Lietuvą - modernią, europietišką, klestinčią

LTŠi knyga - apie Lietuvos Respublikos Seimo nario Kazio Bobelio, keturis kartus išrinkto į Lietuvos Respublikos Seimą (1992, 1996, 2000, 2004), politinę veiklą atgimusioje Lietuvoje. Tai antroji pagarsėjusio gydytojo, politiko, visuomenės veikėjo politinės biografijos knyga. Pirmoji - Tarnystė Lietuvos laisvės bylai1 - pasirodė 2008 m. ir jau seniai tapo bibliografine retenybe. Pratarmės pradžioje pateikiama glausta pirmosios knygos santrauka, priminsianti maloniam skaitytojui K. Bobelio politinės biografijos bruožus iki 1992 m., nuo kurių prasideda antrosios knygos siužetas [Iš Pratarmės].

ENThis book is about the work of a notable political and social figure in terms of Lithuania's recovery: Doctor Kazys Bobelis, a four-time member of the Lithuanian parliament (1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004), who carried out his share of this vital work whilst holding the highly respectable office of national representative. During almost fifty years of enforced exile from Lithuania (between 1944 and 1949 in the American 'Zone of Occupation' in central and southern Germany, and between 1949 and 1992 in the USA itself), Doctor Bobelis never stopped believing that Lithuania would eventually be able to break free of Soviet occupation and restore its independence. Despite undertaking his professional activities as a surgeon-urologist, Dr. Bobelis still managed to dedicate a major part of his physical and mental energy towards the liberation of Lithuania, between 1969 and 1975 as a board member of the Lithuanian-American Community, then as the head of the Lithuanian American Council between 1970 and 1979, and as the chairman of the Supreme Committee for the Liberation of Lithuania between 1979 and 1992. He played a major role in the preparation of the Lithuanian liberation strategy under the Helsinki process, the implementation of which elevated the case for Lithuania’s independence to the international level. Living in a developed western background, Dr. Bobelis was able to form his unique political personality which amalgamated western democratic traditions, a clear vision of a future Lithuania, and the determination to seek its revival. Thus his membership in the parliament of an independent Lithuania was a logical follow-up in his political biography. The years 1992-1996 saw the first term of office for Dr. Bobelis in the Lithuanian parliament.To be able to permanently live and work in Lithuania during its recovery, Dr. Bobelis and his wife Dalia returned in 1992, following the restoration of Lithuanian independence in 1990 and when the Supreme Committee for the Liberation of Lithuania had declared the end of its historical mission. He was elected into the Lithuanian parliament by a single-member electoral district - number 29, which covered the Marijampolė region. With a left-wing electoral victory at the polls, Dr. Bobelis was positioned as chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee. Although being Christian democrat himself, Dr. Bobelis shared clear patriotic attitudes with and undertook similar practical activities to the first president of Lithuania, Algirdas Brazauskas, despite the fact that he was a former communist leader. Despite his anti-communist beliefs, Dr. Bobelis declared his support for this government which he saw as serving for the betterment of Lithuania. Dr. Bobelis played his particular role as a politician whilst engraining in the Lithuanian parliament the very best parliamentary traditions of the free world and directing all positive political forces towards the tough process of creating a democratic state and civil society. Dr. Bobelis also diligently carried out his political duties in his single-member electoral district - number 29 - and earned the trust of Marijampolės citizens. The second term in the Lithuanian parliament for Dr. Bobelis was between 1996-2000. The 1996 election was won by the right-wing party, the Homeland Union - Lithuanian Christian Democrats. Dr. Bobelis was still a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. Although experiencing constant moral pressure from the governing party, Dr. Bobelis remained loyal to his humanist credo - tolerance and the consolidation of all civil forces with the ultimate purpose of supporting the young Lithuanian statehood.During this term of office, the major priority in the Lithuanian parliament's agenda was Euro-Atlantic integration, and Dr. Bobelis actively joined the discussion on this subject, clearly understanding that joining the European Union and NATO were both vital for Lithuania. When his electoral district, Marijampolė, as with the rest of Lithuania, had to cope with the uncertainties of an unregulated market, Dr. Bobelis as a parliamentary member actively helped the municipality, its citizens, and local business in their development. His experience in politics has been highly evaluated at an international level - the Parliament Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe elected Dr. Bobelis as its vice-president for the 1995-1999 period. Dr. Bobelis’ third term of office in the Lithuanian parliament was between 2000-2004. By now he was the oldest member of parliament, but he was inspired by the determination of Marijampolė's citizens who, for the third time returned him to office. This term was marked by vital decisions for the future of Lithuania: on 16 April 2003, in Athens, Lithuania joined the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Poland, Malta, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Hungary in signing the EU membership agreement; and on 29 March 2004 in Washington, after filing the appropriate documents, Lithuania joined Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia in becoming fully-fledged members of NATO. Dr. Bobelis, who was perfectly able to navigate through the subtle relations of European politics, played primary role in all EU and NATO membership procedures.