More Than 30 Human Rights Groups Urge Lithuanian Coalition Not to Reappoint Justice Minister

More than 30 human rights organizations have called on the leaders of Lithuania's incoming coalition parties not to reappoint the current justice minister, Rita Tamašunienė, in the new government. The open letter, backed by 33 groups, was addressed to Social Democratic Party leader Mindaugas Sinkevičius, Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union chairman Aurelijus Veryga, and Democrat Union "For Lithuania" chairman Virginijus Sinkevičius, who has been invited to join coalition talks.

The letter accuses Tamašunienė of failing to implement final court rulings ordering the Justice Ministry to register civil partnerships and of filing appeals against those decisions as a delaying tactic. The groups argue this raises serious doubts about the ministry's commitment to the rule of law. "The actions of the ministry's political team set a dangerous precedent where the Ministry of Justice, whose primary mission should be to strengthen the rule of law, becomes one of the main obstacles to implementing court decisions and constitutional principles," the letter states.

The organizations call for the ministry to be led by someone with a clear commitment to respecting judicial decisions and demand immediate steps to fully implement the relevant rulings. The dispute stems from a ruling by Lithuania's Constitutional Court last year, which found that the Civil Code's definition of partnerships, limited to unions between a man and a woman, was unconstitutional because it failed to recognize same-sex partnerships. The ruling opened the way for partnerships to be registered through the courts while parliament works on more detailed legislation.

Vilnius City District Court registered the first same-sex partnership last August, followed by several further decisions.