Kazys Starkevičius

Born on 23 July 1956 in Rokų village, Kaunas district, Lithuania

An avid hunter in his private life (engages in hunting as a hobby)

Completed a traineeship in 1996 at the Administration Office of the Shire of Kent in the United Kingdom

Graduated in 1989 from Vilnius University, Faculty of Law, as lawyer

Graduated in 1979 from Vilnius University, Faculty of History, as librarian and bibliographer

Member of the Seimas Committee on European Affairs since 19 November 2024

Member of the Seimas Committee on Rural Affairs since 19 November 2024

As a Member of the Seimas, his position is salaried; in 2021 the base monthly salary for an MP in Lithuania was around €3,000 gross (about €2,070 net)

Co‑authored a 2020 monograph titled “Kolūkmetis okupuotos Lietuvos kaime” ("Kolkhoz Time in Occupied Lithuania’s Villages") about agricultural history

Member of the Seimas Ethics and Procedures Commission during the 2016–2020 term

Member of the Seimas Ethics and Procedures Commission in 2015–2016

Member of the Seimas Committee on Rural Affairs from 2012 to 2016

As Minister of Agriculture (2008–2012), his monthly salary was on the order of 8,500–9,500 LTL (approximately €2,500–€2,750) before taxes (estimated based on 2010–2011 ministerial pay scales)

Member of the Seimas Committee on Rural Affairs from 2008 to 2012

Continuously re‑elected to the Seimas in every election since 2004, serving in the 2004–2008, 2008–2012, 2012–2016, 2016–2020, 2020–2024 and 2024–2028 parliamentary terms

Member of Seimas across six terms since 2004

Member of the Seimas Committee on Environment Protection from 2004 to 2008

Member of the Seimas Committee on Rural Affairs from 2004 to 2008

Member of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant Region Problems Commission from 2004 to 2008

Member of Kaunas City Municipal Council from 2000 to 2004

Served as First Deputy Mayor of Kaunas City in 2000–2001 and again in 2003–2004

Governor of Kaunas County from 1997 to 2000

President of Lithuanian Skating Federation from 1996 to 2004

Administrator in Kaunas City Municipality from 1995 to 1997

Headed Legal Affairs Unit of Kaunas City Municipality in 1995

Has remained in his native Rokai (Kaunas district) and reestablished his parents’ farm after Lithuania’s independence, fulfilling a personal dream to farm in his home region

Worked in Kaunas City Municipality, General Affairs Unit head from 1990 to 1995

Headed General Affairs Unit of Kaunas City Executive Committee from 1985 to 1990

Head of a subunit at the Lithuanian Research Institute for Scientific Technical Information (Kaunas branch) from 1979 to 1985

Appointed Agriculture Minister again in August 2024

Chaired the Seimas Committee on Economics from 2020 to 2024

Deputy Chair of the Seimas Committee on Rural Affairs during the 2016–2020 term

Vice Chairman of the Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD) party from 2010 to 2012

Minister of Agriculture of Lithuania from 2008 to 2012

Declared assets over 1 million euros (land plots ~600k, buildings ~277k) in 2023 declarations

In the 2020 Seimas elections he was elected from the Petrašiūnų–Gričiupio single-member constituency in Kaunas, regaining a direct mandate in that district

In the 2012 parliamentary elections, the Homeland Union (TS-LKD) won 12 seats via the nationwide list, and Starkevičius secured the 10th mandate on the party list after preferential votes, narrowly making it into the Seimas

In the 2008 parliamentary elections he won a single-member seat in Kaunas (Panemunė/Pramonės constituency), securing a direct mandate to the Seimas

In the 2004, 2012, and 2016 Seimas elections, he did not win in a single-member constituency but entered parliament via the Homeland Union’s nationwide party list (gaining a mandate through proportional representation and preferential votes)

In his latest (2023) asset declaration, Starkevičius reported personal assets slightly above €1 million, an increase of about €23,000 from the previous year, while his liabilities fell from €68,000 to €33,500; the combined wealth of his family was about €1.043 million

According to the 2023 asset declarations, his wife Rasa Starkevičienė declared personal assets worth about €50,000.

Between 2020 and 2023, he substantially improved his net wealth – his declared assets rose from about €949,000 to over €1 million, while his debt obligations plummeted from roughly €282,700 to €33,500 – a rapid financial upswing not fully explained by his official income

According to his 2020 annual asset declaration, he declared total assets of about €949,000 (including roughly €68,400 in residential housing, €335,717 in other buildings such as garden houses or garages, and €439,209 in land value) and reported outstanding loans of €282,683

Member of the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union since 2018

Member of Lithuanian National Olympic Committee council from 2014 to 2016

Vice‑president of Kauno “Atletas” basketball club 2000–2003

Founded the Lithuanian Family Farmers’ Union in 1999 and served as Chair of its Council until 2004

Member of the Presidium of the Chamber of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania from 1999 to 2004

Chair of Kaunas County Council from 1998 to 2004

Joined the Sąjūdis (Lithuanian Reform Movement) in 1988 during the independence movement

Promised to reduce bureaucratic burden on farmers and restore trust in agricultural institutions upon 2024 appointment

Received a commemorative badge from President Dalia Grybauskaitė in recognition of personal contribution to Lithuania’s Presidency of the EU Council in 2013

Received the Lithuanian Export Prize in 2012 for contributions to export promotion

Received Sports Department Commemorative Medal in 2006

Received Olympic Star of Lithuanian National Olympic Committee in 2006

Awarded the rank of Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit in 1999

Honored as Kaunas City Person of the Year in 1998

Married to Rasa Starkevičienė; has three children (daughters Živilė and Raminta, and a son Kazimieras).