Vytenis Andriukaitis – EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety

Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis is a Lithuanian politician, heart surgeon and since 2014 the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety. Mr. Andriukaitis holds academic degrees in both medicine and history. After obtaining his degrees, he worked as a Medical doctor and surgeon in Lithuania for eight years, until 1993. Andriukaitis started his career in politics in 1976, as a member of the underground Social Democratic movement. In the late 1980's he played a key role in restoring the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania (LSDP) and subsequently also acted as its Soviet Deputy. He is a signatory to the act of independence of Lithuania and co-author of the country's constitution. Andriukaitis also served as a longtime member of the Lithuanian parliament, before becoming the Minister of Health of Lithuania in 2012 and Vice-President of the World Health Assembly in 2014. Adriukaitis currently serves as the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety.