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On Thursday, 75 Seimas members secretly voted for the appointment of B. Sabatauskaitė, director of the Lithuanian Center for Human Rights for 40 years, secretly voted against, 38 abstained on Thursday, J. Sabatauskas abstained from voting.
B.Sabatauskaitė herself has already stated that she will not comment on her personal life. The members of the Seimas, who praised her competence in the field of human rights, did not mention the media reports on the sexual orientation of this lawyer.
For example, Seimas Dovilė member Šakalienė equated the vote on the appointment of B. Sabatauskaitė as Comptroller to a major democracy test.
At the time, MP Mindaugas Puidokas had doubts about B. Sabatauskaitė’s unwillingness to comment on his biography.
He stated that he had received many letters of equal content from voters, expressing concern that by becoming an ombudsman for equal opportunities, B. Sabatauskaitė would defend only the rights of the LGBT community.
– He has become the first Lithuanian official approved by the Seimas who has not denied the knowledge of the media about his homosexuality and same-sex marriage abroad. What can you say about it? – Lietuvos Rytas asked B. Sabatauskaitė.
– I thank everyone who supported my candidacy. It is a privilege and an obligation to fight for greater equality in our state.
– What is the main scope of action of the Ombudsman for Equal Opportunities?
– In many countries, there is a mixed model in which ombudsmen investigate complaints and prevent discrimination.
Lithuania is one of those countries. The prevention function is extremely important.
I think that being in contact with the communities, the unions, educating, talking about what constitutes discrimination, how to recognize their cases is one of the most important areas of activity. I would also like to focus on identifying cases of structural discrimination, in which certain legislation constitutes an obstacle to equality or creates situations of discrimination.
– What is the main difference between the Ombudsman’s Office for Equal Opportunities and other institutions? After all, you can go to court to complain about the harm you’ve suffered, and public organizations that have won competitions and been supported provide discrimination training.
– The mission of the Ombudsman’s Office for Equal Opportunities is to ensure the operation and monitoring of the principle of equality enshrined in article 29 of the Constitution.
The ombudsman can not only investigate complaints, but can also carry out investigations on his own initiative, conducting independent discrimination reviews.
– Discriminated groups often disagree with each other. For example, members of religious communities do not like feminists very much, people with disabilities do not understand why homosexuals should not be discriminated against. How are you going to address these issues?
– It is understandable that members of communities that are often discriminated against feel frustrated and do not believe that their rights can be protected by anyone or that they are important to someone.
However, interest in equal opportunities is growing. For this reason, in my discussions with the different organizations, I will continue to promote support for the equality of all of them.
– There is a notice on the stairs of my house asking that the door be closed because there are homeless people and gypsies walking. Can I complain about this to the Office of the Ombudsman for Equal Opportunities?
– Attitudes towards people due to their social status or nationality are still quite negative. The state does not do everything. For example, Roma, refugees, foreigners and families with children face problems renting a home.
We live in a society of diversity, so it is extremely important that we can act and feel as whole people.
