Juozas Olekas
Lietuvos socialdemokratų partijos frakcija
Oficialus Seimo profilis ↗Juozas Olekas yra Lietuvos politikas, gydytojas ir mokslininkas, buvęs sveikatos ir krašto apsaugos ministras, ilgametis Seimo narys, Europos Parlamento narys bei Lietuvos socialdemokratų partijos narys. Jis taip pat turi didelę akademinę ir chirurginę patirtį bei yra daugelyje visuomeninių organizacijų narys.
Tapatybė 4
Juozas Olekas was born on 30 October 1955 in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Mansky District, Russia (then USSR).
„Date of birth | 30 October 1955… Place of birth | Krasnoyarsk Krai, Mansky District, Russia“
He was born in Bolshoy Ungut Village, Mansk District, Krasnoyarsk Krai (Siberia, Russia).
„Place of birth | Bolshoy Ungut Village, Mansk District, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Siberia, Russia“
His parents, Joana (Kulbokaitė) and Juozas Olekas, were from the Vilkaviškis area and were deported to Siberia in May 1948, several years before his birth.
„... jo tėvai – Joana Kulbokaitė ir Juozas Olekas – iki tremties dienos nematė vienas kito. 1948 metų gegužės 22-ąją, kai ešelonas, pilnas lietuvių šeimų, pajudėjo į Rusijos gilumą, Joana buvo trylikametė, Juozas – šešiolikametis.“
He is married to Aurelija Olekienė, and they have three children.
„Ji didžiuojasi, kad visi trys jųdviejų vaikai iki šiol gyvena Lietuvoje...“
Išsilavinimas 2
He studied medicine at Kaunas Medical Institute (1974–1976) and then at Vilnius University (1976–1980), graduating as a physician in 1980.
„1976–1980 Vilniaus valstybinis universitetas, Medicinos fakultetas, gydytojas… 1974–1976 Kauno medicinos institutas (dabar – Kauno medicinos universitetas)“
In 1987, he earned the degree of Candidate of Medical Sciences (now equivalent to a Ph.D.) at Vilnius University.
„1987 Medicinos mokslų kandidatas (dabar – medicinos mokslų daktaras), Vilniaus valstybinis universitetas (dabar – Vilniaus universitetas)“
Karjera 4
He worked as an associate professor at Vilnius University’s Faculty of Medicine from 1992 to 2004.
„1992–2004 | Associate Professor, Vilnius University“
From 1992 to 1997, he worked as a microsurgeon and maxillofacial surgeon at the Vilnius City Emergency (Ambulance) Hospital (Žalgiris Clinic).
„1992–1997 | Microsurgeon, Maxillofacial Surgeon, Vilnius City Ambulance Hospital, University Hospital Žalgirio Klinikos“
Between 1994 and 1997, Juozas Olekas served as the chief physician (head doctor) of Vilnius University’s Santariškės Clinical Hospital.
„Between 1994 and 1997 he was a chief physician at the Vilnius University hospital.“
By 2019, Olekas had served as a Seimas member for 23 years (six consecutive terms, from the 7th through the 12th Seimas), making him one of the longest-serving parliamentarians in Lithuania.
„Seit 1996 ist Olekas Mitglied des litauischen Parlaments... (In den Jahren 1990 bis 1992 und noch einmal von 2003 bis 2004 war er Gesundheitsminister...).“
Politinės pareigos 14
He served as Chair of the European Parliament’s Delegation for relations with Belarus from March 2022 until July 2024.
„Pirmininkas… 10-03-2022 / 15-07-2024: Delegacija ryšiams su Baltarusija“
He served as a Member of the Seimas (Parliament of Lithuania) from 1996 until 2019, spanning multiple consecutive terms.
„1996–2019 | Member of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania“
He was a Member of the European Parliament from 2019 to 2024, representing Lithuania in the S&D political group.
„2019–2024 | Member of the European Parliament“
He served as Lithuania’s Minister of National Defence from 2006 to 2008.
„2006–2008, 2012–2016 | Minister of National Defence“
He again served as Minister of National Defence from 2012 to 2016.
„2006–2008, 2012–2016 | Minister of National Defence“
He served as Lithuania’s Minister for Health from 1990 until 1992.
„1990–1992, 2003–2004 | Minister for Health“
He again held the position of Minister for Health from 2003 to 2004.
„1990–1992, 2003–2004 | Minister for Health“
Since 19 November 2024, Juozas Olekas has been serving as the First Deputy Speaker of the Seimas.
„Seimo Pirmininko pirmasis pavaduotojas (nuo 2024-11-19)“
He was a People’s Deputy in the USSR Congress of People’s Deputies from 1989 to 1990, nominated by the Lithuanian Reform Movement Sąjūdis.
„1989–1990 TSRS liaudies deputatas (iškėlė Lietuvos Persitvarkymo Sąjūdis)“
He has been a member of the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania (LSDP) since 1989.
„Since 1989 | Member, Lithuanian Social Democratic Party…“
He served as Deputy Chairman of the LSDP from 1999 to 2004, and again from 2007 onwards.
„Nuo 1989 Lietuvos socialdemokratų partijos narys, pirmininko pavaduotojas (1999–2004 ir nuo 2007)“
He was one of two candidates in the Social Democratic Party’s 2021 leadership election (the other being Vilija Blinkevičiūtė).
„varžosi tik du kandidatai – europarlamentarai J.Olekas ir Vilija Blinkevičiūtė“
On 10 September 2025, Juozas Olekas was elected as Speaker of the Seimas, receiving 84 votes in favor (with 20 MPs against and 23 abstentions) in a secret ballot.
„Keturioliktojo Seimo pirmininku tapo… socialdemokratas Juozas Olekas. Per slaptą balsavimą už jo kandidatūrą buvo 84 Seimo nariai, prieš 20, susilaikė 23…“
In the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party’s 2021 leadership election, Olekas lost to Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, receiving about 44% of the vote (finishing second).
„Olekas was Vilija Blinkevičiūtė’s main competitor in the 2021 Social Democratic Party of Lithuania leadership election, finishing second with 44% of the vote.“
Komitetai ir grupės 2
During the 2000–2004 term, he served as Deputy Chair of the Seimas Committee on Health Affairs.
„2000–2004 | Member of the 8th Seimas… Member, Deputy Chair, Committee on Health Affairs“
He was the Chair of the Seimas Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in the 2000–2004 Seimas term.
„… Chair, Seimas Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly“
Rinkimai 5
In 2024, he was elected to the Seimas as a Social Democratic Party list candidate.
„Seimo narys nuo 2024-11-14… Išrinktas: Pagal sąrašą“
In the 2012 parliamentary elections, he won a single-member seat in the Suvalkija constituency (No. 63) as an LSDP candidate.
„Išrinktas Suvalkijos (Nr. 63) apygardoje… iškėlė Lietuvos socialdemokratų partija“
In the 2016 parliamentary elections, he was not elected in a single-mandate district but secured a Seimas seat via the LSDP’s national party list.
„… 2016–2020 m. kadencija Seimo narys nuo 2016-11-14 … Išrinktas: Pagal sąrašą …“
In the 2012 Seimo elections, Olekas again won the Suvalkija constituency, securing about 60.8% of the vote in the runoff against Darbo Partija’s candidate Algimanta Pabedinskienė.
„Rinkimus į Seimą 2012 Suvalkijos rinkiminėje apygardoje laimėjo Lietuvos socialdemokratų partijos kandidatas Juozas Olekas… Suvalkijos… rinkėjų aktyvumas 28,85%… OLEKAS (60,80%)“
In the 2016 parliamentary elections, he ran in the Sūduvos single-mandate constituency (Marijampolė region) but was defeated (LVŽS candidate Kęstutis Mažeika won that district), after which Olekas secured a Seimas seat via the Social Democrats’ national list.
„Rinkimus į Seimą 2016 Sūduvos rinkiminėje apygardoje laimėjo Lietuvos valstiečių ir žaliųjų sąjungos kandidatas Kęstutis Mažeika“
Turtas ir pajamos 8
As a Member of the European Parliament (2019–2024), Olekas earned roughly €7,800 per month after EU taxes (about €10,000 gross).
„EP nario mėnesinis atlyginimas yra virš 10 tūkst. eurų neatskaičius mokesčių arba 7,8 tūkst. eurų atskaičius ES mokesčius...“
As a Seimas member, his base salary is about €3,608 per month gross (as of 2024, before taxes).
„... Seimo nario pareiginė alga – 3608 eurai neatskaičius mokesčių.“
As Lithuania’s Minister of National Defence (circa 2014–2015), he earned roughly €3,850 gross per month.
„Krašto apsaugos ministras... per mėnesį vidutiniškai (2015 m. I ketvirtis) gauna 3 851 Eur... (lsveikata.lt%20gauna%203%20851%20Eur))“
According to his 2015 asset declaration, Olekas held about €286,000 in assets and €28,570 in debts, while his wife Aurelija had roughly €90,000 in assets and €45,000 in liabilities.
„… Juozas Olekas deklaravo turto už beveik 286 tūkst. eurų. Tiesa, ministro kišenę dar slegia 28,57 tūkst. eurų skolų. Ministro žmonos Aurelijos sąskaitoje – turto už beveik 90 tūkst. eurų ir daugiau nei 45 tūkst. eurų įsiskolinimai. (15min)“
Upon entering the Seimas in late 2016, he declared assets totaling €351,017 and had an annual income of €71,528 (with €6,473 paid in income tax).
„14. Juozas Olekas, 351 017 Eur. Pajamos 71 528 Eur, GPM – 6473 Eur, LSDP…“
Between 2015 and 2016, his declared total assets increased by approximately €65,000 (from ~€286k to ~€351k), a significant jump relative to his annual income.
„2015: turto už 286 tūkst. eurų…; 2016: 351 017 Eur deklaruota turto vertė. (15min)“
His 2014 annual declaration (filed in 2015) showed a combined family wealth of approximately 1.29 million litai (about €374,000), up from about 1.15 million LTL (~€333,000) the year before – a jump largely attributed to the sale of the family’s house in 2013 and purchase of a new home.
„Socdemo turto vertė, atėmus negrąžintas paskolas, siekia beveik 976 tūkst. Lt… žmonos Aurelijos – kiek daugiau nei 317 tūkst. Lt. Taigi bendra Olekų deklaruoto turto vertė – apie 1,29 mln. Lt. Deklaracijoje už 2013 metus ši suma siekė apie 1,15 mln. Lt… 2013 m. šeimos namą pardavę Olekai įsigijo naują būstą – jis veikiausiai ir sudaro didžiąją dalį pokyčių turto deklaracijoje“
Per his 2011 asset declaration, Juozas Olekas (together with his wife) declared total assets of about 1.1 million litai and liabilities of 67,000 litai (approximately €319k in assets vs €19k debt).
„socialdemokratas Juozas Olekas su žmona Aurelija – 1,1 mln. litų, taip pat yra paėmę 67 tūkst. litų paskolą“
Ryšiai ir organizacijos 1
He is a member of numerous organizations, including the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union, the Lithuanian Medical Movement, the Lithuanian Beekeepers Union, and the Vilnius Rotary Club, among others.
„Membership: Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union, Lithuanian Medical Movement, Lithuanian Beekeepers Union, Vilnius Rotary Club…“
Kontroversijos 3
In 2016, a Ministry of Defence procurement scandal (nicknamed the “golden spoons” affair) led to heavy criticism of Defence Minister Juozas Olekas.
„Dėl auksinių šaukštų skandalo daugiausiai kritikos sulaukė tuometinis krašto apsaugos ministras Juozas Olekas, deleguotas Lietuvos socialdemokratų partijos“
In 2021, Olekas faced criticism within his party for remarks perceived as derogatory to women (using the phrase “bobą į ratus”).
„dalis partijos narių… dėl vieno iš kandidatų, europarlamentaro Juozo Oleko moteris žeminančių pasisakymų… jo retorika… ir pasisakymai „bobą į ratus“ – netoleruotini“
In 1999, Juozas Olekas was involved in a traffic accident in which he struck and fatally injured two reserve military officers on a pedestrian crossing.
„1999 m. J.Olekas automobiliu partrenkė ir mirtinai sužalojo per perėją einančius du atsargos karininkus,...“
Apdovanojimai 4
He was awarded the Lithuanian State Prize in 1988 for a series of works in reconstructive microsurgery (shared with a team of Vilnius University microsurgeons).
„Apdovanojimai: Lietuvos valstybinė premija… rekonstrukcinės mikrochirurgijos darbų ciklą… (1988)“
In 2000, he received the Lithuanian Independence Medal.
„…Nyderlandų Karalystės Oranje-Nasau ordino Komandoro kryžius (2008); Lietuvos nepriklausomybės medalis (2000)“
He was honored with the Order of Orange-Nassau (Commander’s Cross) by the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 2008.
„Nyderlandų Karalystės Oranje-Nasau ordino Komandoro kryžius (2008)…“
In 2013, he was awarded the Second Class Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana by the Republic of Estonia.
„Second Class Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana of the Republic of Estonia (2013)“