National symbols of Lithuania national anthem during the Soviet era, and was reinstated in 1992 when the new constitution was ratified. "Lietuva brangi" (Precious Lithuania), written by the poet Maironis, is another important song sometimes called the unofficial national anthem. Gediminas and Mindaugas are generally regarded as the founding fathers of Lithuania. Gediminas was said to have had a dream which led to the founding of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania; in this dream, an iron wolf howled all night near the site of the present-day Gediminas Tower. A seer interpreted this as meaning that a great city should be built there. "What is
Capital punishment in Lithuania Capital punishment in Lithuania Capital punishment in Lithuania was ruled unconstitutional and abolished for all crimes in December 1998. Lithuania is a member of the European Union and the Council of Europe and has signed and ratified Protocol 13 of the European Convention on Human Rights on complete abolition of death penalty. From March 1990 to December 1998, Lithuania executed seven men. The last execution in the country occurred in July 1995, when Lithuanian mafia boss Boris Dekanidze was put to death. In the Lithuanian SSR, the criminal code provided for death penalty in 16 articles. After the declaration of