▁of ▁the ▁Council ▁of ▁Minister s ▁of ▁the ▁Lith uan ian ▁SS R ▁to ▁the ▁Council ▁of ▁Minister s ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union , ▁and ▁beginning ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁Vice ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁State ▁Labour ▁Committee . ▁From ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁First ▁Deput y ▁Minister ▁of ▁Social ▁Security ▁and ▁Labour , ▁until ▁the ▁Lith uan ian ▁SS R ▁declared ▁independence ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁as ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁Lith u ania . ▁ ▁Post - in dep end ence ▁ ▁Following ▁independence , ▁Stan ke vi č ius , ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Commun ist ▁Party ▁of ▁Lith u ania , ▁joined ▁its ▁successor ▁party , ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Labour ▁Party . ▁From ▁September ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁to ▁July ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁Minister ▁of ▁Social ▁Security ▁and ▁Labour ▁under ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Adolf as ▁Š le že vi č ius . ▁From ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁he ▁was ▁Minister ▁of ▁Administration ▁Re forms ▁and ▁Self - g overn ment ▁Affairs . ▁On ▁ 1 5 ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁by ▁President ▁Alg ird as ▁Bra za usk as , ▁a ▁position ▁he ▁held ▁until ▁ 2 7 ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁a ▁little ▁more ▁than ▁nine ▁months ▁total . ▁ ▁After ▁leaving