With regard to the upcoming International Human Rights Day (10th December) the Lithuanian Gay League (LGL) has sought to distribute a congratulatory package to the Members of the newly elected Parliament on Friday, 7 December 2012. The package included an official letter, signed by the chair of the LGL, and the publication on the first equality march in Lithuania, titled “Changing Faces” (English version can be downloaded here). The letter calls for the constructive dialogue with the newly elected MPs with the view of ensuring respect for international human rights standards in Lithuanian politics. However, the campaign has encountered unexpected obstacles.
The head of the Incoming Correspondence Unit within the Communication Department of the Office of the Seimas confiscated the congratulatory packages from the MPs mail boxes on the grounds that they were distributed by not following the correct procedure. 15min.lt reports, that the clerk has ordered to confiscate all the packages by stating: “We have to take away them all. It is not appropriate.”
The rules of incoming correspondence were adopted in 2008. They require that all promotional materials in the Parliament should be officially registered in the Unit and be directly addressed to the individual MP. These rules are not accessible online.
The MP Dalia Kuodyte, the member of the Liberal Movement, who assisted the LGL in distributing the congratulatory packages, was negatively surprised by the motion of the bureaucrats. According to her, the MPs receive number of promotional materials, which are not officially registered, and it is the first time during her two tenures in the Parliament, when such an issue arises.
Immediately after the controversy, the MP Dalia Kuodytė has issued an official statement by indicating that this motion could be equated with the official censorship and urged the individual MPs to claim for their copy of “Changing Faces” directly from the Office of the Seimas.
The LGL has successfully contacted the head of the Incoming Correspondence Unit latter on in the course of the day. She kindly advised for the LGL representatives to come back to the Office of the Seimas, so that the confiscated packages could be officially registered and distributed to the MPs. The advice was followed and the congratulatory packages should reach the MPs by the evening. However, in the course of the confiscation procedure, 19 packages went missing.
The LGL welcomes the change of the attitudes by the head of the Incoming Correspondence Unit and will ensure that the procedural rules are properly followed in planning future activities.The photos of the campaign can be viewed here.
