9 9 4 , ▁and ▁after ▁being ▁prime ▁minister , ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Se imas ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁and ▁later ▁Minister ▁of ▁Health ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁Form er ly ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Commun ist ▁Party ▁of ▁Lith u ania , ▁following ▁independence ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁newly ▁formed ▁Democratic ▁Labour ▁Party . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁education ▁ ▁Stan ke vi č ius ▁was ▁born ▁in   A uk št ad var is , ▁Tra ka i ▁District , ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁August ▁ 1 9 3 5 , ▁five ▁years ▁before ▁Lith u ania ▁was ▁occupied ▁by ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁and ▁became ▁the ▁Lith uan ian ▁Soviet ▁Social ist ▁Republic . ▁He ▁attended ▁high ▁school ▁at ▁the ▁Ant anas ▁Vien u olis ▁Second ary ▁School ▁in ▁Vil nius , ▁gradu ating ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 . ▁From ▁ 1 9 5 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 5 7 , ▁he ▁attended ▁the ▁L ening rad ▁Institute ▁of ▁Fin ance ▁and ▁Econom ics ▁( now ▁Saint ▁Petersburg ▁State ▁University ▁of ▁Econom ics ▁and ▁Fin ance ). ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁Soviet ▁era ▁ ▁After ▁gradu ation , ▁he ▁worked ▁as ▁an ▁econom ist ▁of ▁the ▁Lith uan ian ▁SS R ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Fin ance , ▁and ▁was ▁then ▁governor ▁of ▁the ▁Agricult ural ▁Fin ance ▁Administration . ▁From ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁permanent ▁representative