 When Algirdas Brazauskas was appointed the secretary of the party, Kirkilas became his press secretary.Since independence was declared on 11 March 1990, Kirkilas was involved in the state matters and was elected to the Seimas seven times, representing the Democratic Labour Party of Lithuania (in 1992, 1996 and 2000) and the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania (in 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016).He was appointed the Minister of National Defence of Lithuania on 7 December 2004.