Mr Rimantas Šadžius has been appointed Minister of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania, succeeding Mr Zigmantas Balcytis. Mr Šadžius thus also becomes EIB Governor for the Republic of Lithuania.

Mr Šadžius, born in 1960, studied Chemistry at Lomonosov Moscow State University (graduated 1983) and gained a Master’s Degree in Law from Vilnius University in 2002.

Mr Šadžius is a Member of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party. He previously served as Vice-Minister of Social Security and Labour (2003-2004), Vice-Minister of Health (2004-2006) and Deputy Finance Minister (from 2006 to May 2007).

During his earlier career as a scientist he carried out research in the fields of Quantum Chemistry and Solid-State Physics.