Editing Lithuania (section)

===1990–present===
{{Main|Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania}}
{{See also|Singing Revolution|Baltic Way}}
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| footer = On 11 March 1990, the [[Supreme Council – Reconstituent Seimas|Supreme Council]] announced the [[Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania|restoration of Lithuania's independence]].<ref name="Bell2002">{{cite book|author=Imogen Bell|title=Central and South-Eastern Europe 2003|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4CrpzRJCbckC&pg=PA376|year=2002|publisher=Psychology Press|isbn=978-1-85743-136-0|page=376}}</ref> After refusal to revoke the Act, [[Soviet Army|Soviet forces]] stormed the [[Seimas Palace]] while Lithuanians defended the democratically elected Council. The Act, the first such declaration in the USSR, later was a model and inspiration to other [[Soviet republics]], and strongly influenced the [[dissolution of the Soviet Union]].
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On 11 March 1990, the [[Supreme Council – Reconstituent Seimas|Supreme Council]] announced the restoration of Lithuania's independence. Lithuania became the first Soviet-occupied state to announce the restitution of independence.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=12 March 1990 |title=Lithuania breaks away from the Soviet Union |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/1990/mar/12/eu.politics |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190921161738/https://www.theguardian.com/world/1990/mar/12/eu.politics |archive-date=21 September 2019 |access-date=7 June 2018 |website=[[The Guardian]] |quote=Lithuania last night became the first republic to break away from the Soviet Union, by proclaiming the restoration of its pre-war independence. The newly-elected parliament, 'reflecting the people's will,' decreed the restoration of 'the sovereign rights of the Lithuanian state, infringed by alien forces in 1940,' and declared that from that moment Lithuania was again an independent state |location=London}}</ref> On 20 April 1990, the Soviets [[Soviet economic blockade of Lithuania|imposed an economic blockade]] by ceasing to deliver supplies of raw materials to Lithuania.<ref>{{cite magazine |author1=Martha Brill Olcott |title=The Lithuanian Crisis |url=https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/russian-federation/1990-06-01/lithuanian-crisis |website=www.foreignaffairs.com |access-date=18 November 2018 |date=1990 |quote=For over two years Lithuania has been moving toward reclaiming its independence. This drive reached a crescendo on 11 March 1990, when the Supreme Soviet of Lithuania declared the republic no longer bound by Soviet law. The act reasserted the independence Lithuania had declared more than seventy years before, a declaration unilaterally annulled by the U.S.S.R. in 1940 when it annexed Lithuania as the result of a pact between Stalin and Hitler. |archive-date=20 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210720055455/https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/russian-federation/1990-06-01/lithuanian-crisis |url-status=live}}</ref> Not only domestic industry, but also the population started feeling the lack of fuel, essential goods, and even hot water. Although the blockade lasted for 74 days, Lithuania did not renounce the declaration of independence.<ref name="LT1990">{{cite web |last1=Laurinavičius |first1=Česlovas |title=Lietuvos Respublika po 1990 |url=https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/lietuvos-respublika-po-1990/ |website=Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija |language=lt}}</ref>

Gradually, economic relations were restored. However, tensions peaked again in January 1991. Attempts were made to carry out a coup using the [[Soviet Armed Forces]], the Internal Army of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the USSR Committee for State Security ([[KGB]]). Because of the poor economic situation in Lithuania, the forces in Moscow thought the [[coup d'état]] would receive strong public support.<ref>{{cite web|title=10 svarbiausių 1991–ųjų sausio įvykių, kuriuos privalote žinoti|url=https://www.15min.lt/naujiena/aktualu/lietuva/10-svarbiausiu-1991-uju-sausio-ivykiu-kuriuos-privalote-zinoti-56-565845|website=15min.lt|access-date=13 January 2016|archive-date=25 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210625115355/https://www.15min.lt/naujiena/aktualu/lietuva/10-svarbiausiu-1991-uju-sausio-ivykiu-kuriuos-privalote-zinoti-56-565845|url-status=live}}</ref> People flooded to Vilnius to defend the [[Supreme Council – Reconstituent Seimas|Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania]] and independence. The coup ended with a few casualties and material loss. The [[Soviet Army]] killed 14 people and injured hundreds. A large part of the Lithuanian population participated in the [[January Events]].<ref name="bbc">{{cite news|title=On This Day 13 January 1991: Bloodshed at Lithuanian TV station|work=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/13/newsid_4059000/4059959.stm|access-date=13 September 2011|date=13 January 1991|archive-date=9 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171109010731/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/13/newsid_4059000/4059959.stm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| title=Soviet crackdown; Soviet loyalists in charge after attack in Lithuania; 13 dead; curfew is imposed| author=Bill Keller| newspaper=[[The New York Times]]| date=14 January 1991| access-date=18 December 2009| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/01/14/world/soviet-crackdown-soviet-loyalists-charge-after-attack-lithuania-13-dead-curfew.html?pagewanted=all| archive-date=17 April 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417195108/https://www.nytimes.com/1991/01/14/world/soviet-crackdown-soviet-loyalists-charge-after-attack-lithuania-13-dead-curfew.html?pagewanted=all| url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="LT1990"/> On 31 July 1991, Soviet paramilitaries killed 7 Lithuanian border guards on the Belarusian border in what became known as the [[Medininkai Massacre]].<ref name="LT1990"/> On 17 September 1991, Lithuania was admitted to the [[United Nations]].<ref name="LT1990"/>

On 25 October 1992, citizens voted in a referendum to adopt the current [[Constitution of Lithuania|constitution]].<ref name="LT1990"/> On 14 February 1993, during the direct general elections, [[Algirdas Brazauskas]] became the first president after the restoration of independence.<ref name="LT1990"/> On 31 August 1993 the last units of the former Soviet Army left Lithuania.<ref>{{cite book| author=Richard J. Krickus| chapter=Democratization in Lithuania| editor=K. Dawisha and B. Parrott| title=The Consolidation of Democracy in East-Central Europe| date=June 1997| page=[https://archive.org/details/consolidationofd0000unse/page/344 344]| publisher=Cambridge University Press| chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NRkpNovMd_cC&pg=PA344| isbn=978-0-521-59938-2| url=https://archive.org/details/consolidationofd0000unse/page/344}}</ref>

On 31 May 2001, Lithuania joined the [[World Trade Organization]] (WTO).<ref>{{cite web |title=WTO - Accessions: Lithuania |url=https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/a1_lituanie_e.htm |website=www.wto.org |access-date=30 March 2021 |archive-date=31 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210531070148/https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/a1_lituanie_e.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> Since March 2004, Lithuania has been part of [[NATO]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Lithuania's membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) |url=https://www.urm.lt/default/en/foreign-policy/lithuania-in-the-region-and-the-world/lithuanias-security-policy/lithuanian-membership-in-nato |website=Urm.lt |access-date=30 March 2021 |date=5 February 2014 |archive-date=17 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417181725/https://www.urm.lt/default/en/foreign-policy/lithuania-in-the-region-and-the-world/lithuanias-security-policy/lithuanian-membership-in-nato}}</ref> On 1 May 2004, it became a full member of the [[European Union]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Membership |url=https://www.urm.lt/default/en/foreign-policy/lithuania-in-the-region-and-the-world/lithuania-member-of-the-european-union/membership |website=Urm.lt |access-date=30 March 2021 |date=6 January 2016 |archive-date=26 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210626050010/https://www.urm.lt/default/en/foreign-policy/lithuania-in-the-region-and-the-world/lithuania-member-of-the-european-union/membership}}</ref> and a member of the [[Schengen Agreement]] in December 2007.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lithuania has joined the Schengen Area |url=http://no.mfa.lt/no/en/news/lithuania-has-joined-the-schengen-area |website=mfa.lt |access-date=30 March 2021 |date=16 January 2008 |archive-date=26 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210626050010/http://no.mfa.lt/no/en/news/lithuania-has-joined-the-schengen-area}}</ref> On 1 January 2015, [[Lithuania and the euro|Lithuania joined]] the [[eurozone]] and adopted the European Union's single currency.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kropaite |first1=Zivile |title=Lithuania joins Baltic neighbours in euro club |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-30635826 |website=BBC News |access-date=30 March 2021 |date=1 January 2015 |archive-date=3 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210703111641/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-30635826 |url-status=live}}</ref> On 4 July 2018, Lithuania officially joined the [[OECD]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Lithuania officially becomes the 36th OECD member |url=https://lrv.lt/en/news/lithuania-officially-becomes-the-36th-oecd-member |website=lrv.lt |access-date=30 March 2021 |date=5 July 2018 |archive-date=3 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210703105900/https://lrv.lt/en/news/lithuania-officially-becomes-the-36th-oecd-member}}</ref> [[Dalia Grybauskaitė]] was the first female [[President of Lithuania]] (2009–2019) and the first to be re-elected for a second consecutive term.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lithuania President Re-elected on Anti-Russian Platform |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/lithuania-president-re-elected-on-anti-russian-platform/1922612.html |website=VOA |access-date=8 April 2023 |date=26 May 2014 |archive-date=8 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408194013/https://www.voanews.com/a/lithuania-president-re-elected-on-anti-russian-platform/1922612.html |url-status=live}}</ref> On 24 February 2022, Lithuania declared a [[state of emergency]] in response to the 2022 [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Lithuania declares state of emergency after Russia invades Ukraine|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/lithuania-declares-state-emergency-after-russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24/|date=24 February 2022|access-date=8 June 2022|website=Reuters|archive-date=24 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220224145525/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/lithuania-declares-state-emergency-after-russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24/|url-status=live}}</ref> Together with seven other NATO member states, it invoked NATO [[North Atlantic Treaty#Article 4|Article 4]] to hold consultations on security.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-europe-russia-vladimir-putin-71bf9d3687e1a04f11dfb895639a13ca |title=NATO vows to defend its entire territory after Russia attack |last=Cook |first=Lorne |website=Associated Press |date=24 February 2022 |access-date=8 June 2022 |archive-date=24 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220224095154/https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-europe-russia-vladimir-putin-71bf9d3687e1a04f11dfb895639a13ca |url-status=live}}</ref> On 11–12 July 2023, the [[2023 Vilnius summit|2023 NATO summit]] was held in Vilnius.<ref>{{cite web |title=2023 NATO Summit |url=https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/216570.htm |website=NATO |access-date=18 September 2023 |archive-date=22 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922050539/https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/216570.htm |url-status=live}}</ref>