A bronze bust of Lithuania's first inter-war president, Antanas Smetona, was unveiled in Ukmergė, central Lithuania, on Friday.
"A historic event took place in Ukmergė as a bust of one of the most prominent founders of the State of Lithuanian, the first president of Lithuania, Antanas Smetona, was unveiled," the local municipality said.
Made of bronze, the bust on a 1.8 metre high pedestal was erected in central Ukmergė, an exact copy of the one that stood there in the 1930s. It was destroyed during the Soviet occupation.
According to the municipality, the day chosen for the unveiling ceremony was not a coincidence as on April 4, 1919, Smetona was elected Lithuania's first president.
Smetona served as president of Lithuania in 1919–1920, as well as 1926–1940 following a military coup. Proposals to build a statue dedicated to the leader in Vilnius has been met with mixed reactions.
He died in a fire at his home in the United States in 1944.
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