Emmanuel ZINGERIS

For the last time Emmanuel got into the Parliament of Lithuania after the elections of 1996 in the list of the Conservative party. The integration of Lithuania into the West became the first priority of the state but the question of human and civil rights became urgent. Lithuania had to coordinate its laws with the Western legislation. Therefore the appointment of Emmanuel to the post of Chairman of the Committee on Human and Civil Rights demanded especial responsibility. On this post he also contributed to the arrangement of relations with the Catholic Church when, together with Cardinal Vincent Sladkevicius, he signed the Record of Relations between the Catholic Church and the Jewish Society of Lithuania. One of the most burning problems discussed in Lithuania was abolishment of the capital punishment. The criminality gained forms unparalleled in Lithuanian history. On the other hand, norms of the Council of Europe demanded to abolish the capital punishment which had been suspended in November 1996. The suspension raised protests in the society incited by all kinds of radicals. A politician, who would initiate the abolishment, risked to lose his electorate. Emmanuel took this risk: the abolishment was his proposal as Chairman of the Committee on Human and Civil Rights at a Chamber session in January 1998. The question of human and civil rights emerged constantly in Lithuanian relations with the U.S.A. and E.U.  The state prepared to become member of N.A.T.O. For Emmanuel this was a new challenge to increase his diplomatic activities. He became visible almost in all kinds of Lithuanian political relations.

On Capital Hill with Lithuanian delegation. Emmanuel stands beside Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius. 2000       The advantage of Emmanuelon on this new way of diplomatic activities was that he had time to initiate creation of Parliamentary Lithuanian-American Caucus of which he was Chairman.

At a meeting of the Black Caucus of the U.S. Senate and the Lithuanian-American Caucus of Lithuania       In 1998 Emmanuel intiated and signed in the name of the Parliament of Lithuania an Agreement between the Baltic Caucus of the House of Representatives and Senate of the U.S.A. from the one side, and the Lithuanian-American Caucus of the Parliament of Lithuania from the other side, on cooperation between the Baltic Caucus of the both American Houses and the Caucus of the Parliament of Lithuania. Jonas Shimkus signed the Agreement in the name of the House of Representatives, but Richard Durbin signed it in the name of the Senate.        The Caucus helped Emmanuel to broaden the circle of his contacts within the political elite of the U.S.A.

In the U.S. Senate, 1999: Emmanuel Zingeris, Rimantas Dagys, MP (Lithuania), Senator Richard Durbin, U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania John Taft       Emmanuel's constructive relations with Senators Thom Lantos, Richard Durbin, Edvard Markey are well known.