On November 12, 2015 the notorious “anti-gay propaganda” bill was removed from the Lithuanian Parliament’s agenda for the time being. 65 members of the Lithuanian Parliament voted for the proposition to remove the consideration of the draft amendment to the Code of Administrative Violations No. XIP-4490(3), which seeks to introduce administrative liability for any public

Lithuanian Parliament to Vote on Russian Style “Anti-Gay Propaganda” Law Again

On November 10th, 2015 at 11 AM the notorious “anti-gay propaganda” bill unexpectedly appeared on the Lithuanian Parliament’s agenda again. The consideration of the draft amendment to the Code of Administrative Violations No. XIP-4490(3), which seeks to introduce administrative liability for any public denigration of the “constitutional family values” was postponed until the final hearing

On the 6th of May, 2015 the Lithuanian Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs decided that civil partnerships for same-sex couples are consistent with the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, says Deputy Chair Stasys Šedbaras. “The majority voted that the project does not violate the Constitution,” Mr. Šedbaras told to Lithuanian news agency BNS. On

Lithuanian MPs Register Bill to Allow Same-sex Partnership

On the 25th of March, 2015 nine Lithuanian members of parliament representing the Social Democratic and Liberal party groups have registered a bill to allow same-sex civil partnership, reports Lithuanian news agency BNS. Liberal MP Dalia Kuodytė, one of the authors of the bill, said the draft law was not aimed at undermining the importance

MEPs condemn homophobic hate speech Lithuanian MP

Last Sunday, Member of the Lithuanian Parliament Algirdas Vaclovas Patackas warned that the head of the Lithuanian Gay League’s (LGL) engaged in “provocation” that might result in “dead bodies”, similar to recent attacks in Paris. The MP made the remarks after LGL’s head, Vladimir Simonko, suggested that the organisation should consider buying the now obsolete

Lithuanian MP Warns LGBT* Human Rights Defenders about “Massacre [as] in Paris”

On January 18th, 2015 the Member of the Lithuanian Parliament Algirdas Vaclovas Patackas publicly warned the Board Chair of the national LGBT* human rights association LGL that the organization is “playing with fire” and that its activities might result in a “black, repulsive and totally unacceptable response” similar to that which “happened in Paris.” The

One More Attempt to Legalize Hate Speech in Lithuania

On December 16th, 2014 the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Science and Culture postponed the adoption of the controversial amendment to the Lithuanian Criminal Code, removing criminal liability for homophobic hate speech. 5 members of the Committee were in favor of the proposed amendment, 3 voted against, while the others abstained. This outcome was sufficient for

On November 29, 2014 the Order and Justice Party has nominated a Member of the Lithuanian Parliament Petras Gražulis to run for Vilnius mayor’s office. “I can tell you that if I am elected, there will be no gay parades”, assured the candidate. MP Gražulis, who chairs the Party’s political group in the Lithuanian parliament,

On November 25, 2014 the Lithuanian Parliament Seimas rejected yet another candidate for the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson. In a secret ballot, 48 MPs voted in favor of appointing lawyer Diana Gumbrevičiūtė-Kuzminskienė to the position, 42 were against and 18 abstained. MP Dalia Kuodytė criticized the vote as disgraceful, saying that the outcome reflected the prevailing homophobic

Speaker of the Lithuanian Parliament is too busy to meet with LGL

The national LGBT* rights organization LGL initiated a meeting with the Speaker of the Lithuanian Parliament Seimas and the leader of the Lithuanian Labor Party Loreta Graužinienė on September and November this year. Both times were unsuccessful. The Office of the Lithuanian Speaker of the Parliament claims that Ms. Graužinienė has no time for a