“His broad thinking impressed me”
One of G. Rainys’ longtime associates, former president of the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists Robertas Dargis recalls that he first met him back in 1999–2001 while working in the Government.
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“His broad thinking made a huge impression on me. As a scientist and a strong economist, he had a clear vision of the direction in which Lithuania’s economy should move,” – 15min said R. Dargis.
According to him, later while working at the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists, G. Rainys significantly contributed to the organization’s approach to the country’s economic development and the challenges faced by business.
“He was a professional advisor and administrator. At that time, the confederation united almost 60 associations, so it was necessary to be able to bring together very different people. Gediminas never raised his voice, always maintained balance, and influenced colleagues with calm speech. All the best memories about him. It’s a pity he left so unexpectedly,” – said R. Dargis.
Had an interesting hobby
The president of the Lithuanian Employers’ Confederation Andrius Romanovskis knew G. Rainys for more than two decades. Their acquaintance began when the late man worked as a secretary at the Ministry of Economy.
“He represented the generation of civil servants who essentially created the economic development model of our state. I can confidently call him an old-school statesman – a person who spoke less but worked more,” – 15min said A. Romanovskis.
According to him, after moving to work in business organizations, G. Rainys remained just as reserved.
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“If we, the younger ones, were sometimes hotter-headed, Gediminas was the person who calmed down hot heads. Whether it was negotiations on the Labor Code or difficult talks with trade unions – he always managed to find common ground. I would call him a sage,” – he recalled.
A. Romanovskis also drew attention to a lesser-known hobby of G. Rainys – an interest in the history of Vilnius.
“He was very active on social networks as a history lover – sharing old photos of Vilnius, commenting on them, inviting discussion. Many people followed him not because of economic or business topics, but precisely because of this meaningful hobby. I think a significant number of followers will miss him greatly,” – said the head of the Lithuanian Employers’ Confederation.
Was one of the most important figures of the organization
The president of the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists Vidmantas Janulevičius emphasized that G. Rainys was one of the most important figures of the organization for many years.
“We all remember him as a responsible person devoted to industry. Before that, he worked at the Ministry of Economy, was very concrete, responsible, and always looked out for the interests of Lithuanian industry,” – he told the portal.
According to him, one of G. Rainys’ most prominent qualities was the ability to seek compromises.
“Since he had worked both in the public sector and in business organizations, he perfectly understood both sides. He always sought solutions to reconcile the interests of the state and business. Gediminas was a sincere, warm person. All our members deeply sympathize with his relatives. We knew about his illness, hoped his health would improve, so the news of his death was very painful,” – said V. Janulevičius.
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