State Security Department of Lithuania
The State Security Department or VSD (Lithuanian: Valstybės saugumo departamentas) is a Lithuanian national security agency which collects information on threats to Lithuania's sovereignty and works to eliminate those threats. The VSD also conducts counterintelligence, protects state secrets and classified information, and vets applicants for residence in or entry to Lithuania. The department was established on 26 March 1990, two weeks after Lithuania declared independence from the Soviet Union. At the time, the department was also responsible for certain aspects of law enforcement, provide protection to state officials and strategic objects, ensure integrity of state communications network, investigate political corruption. Other agencies took over these extra duties and, during 2010, the mission of VSD was clarified to mainly focus on intelligence and counterintelligence.[1]
Directors
- Mečys Laurinkus (26 March 1990 – 19 March 1991)
- Viktoras Zedelis (acting)
- Zigmas Vaišvila (27 September 1991 – 19 March 1992)
- Balys Gajauskas (22 April 1992 – 11 August 1992)
- Petras Plumpa (11 August 1992 – 4 January 1993)
- Jurgis Jurgelis (4 January 1993 – 3 June 1998)
- Mečys Laurinkus (2nd time, 3 June 1998 – 30 April 2004)
- Arvydas Pocius (30 April 2004 – 12 June 2007)
- Povilas Malakauskas (12 June 2007 – 28 December 2009)
- Romualdas Vaišnoras (acting)
- Gediminas Grina (9 April 2010 – 13 April 2015)
- Darius Jauniškis (14 April 2015 – present)
References
- "Valstybės saugumo institucijos raida nuo 1990 metų" (in Lithuanian). State Security Department. Retrieved 2017-03-14.