REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA
LAW
ON THE STATUS OF A DEPUTY
OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA
Chapter 1
General Provisions
Article 1. The Deputy as a Representative of the State
A deputy is a member of the Supreme Council -- the supreme
governmental body -- and represents the people of Lithuania.
A Deputy's activities are governed by the Provisional Basic Law,
by this law and other laws, by resolutions of the Supreme
Council, and by his or her own conscience.
Article 2. The Oath of Office
A deputy of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania
who is elected President, Vice President, Secretary, or member of
the Presidium of the Supreme Council, or to other official posts
of the Supreme Council during the sitting of the first session of
the Supreme Council shall publicly and solemnly swear allegiance
to the Republic of Lithuania as follows:
"I (name,surname), in your presence, swear to be faithful to
the Republic of Lithuania;
I swear to respect and uphold its laws, to protect the
integrity of its territory;
I swear to the best of my ability to strengthen the
independence of Lithuania, to faithfully serve my Homeland,
Democracy, and the good of the people of Lithuania. So help me
God."
Article 3. Term of office
A deputy's term of office shall be 5 years commencing from
the day when the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania
convenes a new session and confirms the deputy's powers. At this
moment the term of office of the deputy of the Supreme Council
from the prior convocation expires.
A deputy's term of office may be terminated:
1) when a deputy is recalled by his or her constituents;
2) when, at the deputy's own request, the Supreme Council
adopts a resolution accepting the surrender of his or her powers;
3) upon the loss of Lithuanian citizenship; and
4) upon the passage of a criminal sentence against said
deputy.
Article 4. The coordination of a deputy's duties with other
activities
A deputy may engage in labour activity only with the consent
of the Supreme Council. Deputies engaged in scientific,
educational, or artistic activities and who are members of unions
of liberal professions do not require such consent.
A deputy has the right of deciding vote on all issues under
discussion, as well as the right to elect and be elected to any
organ of the Supreme Council.
A deputy may express his or her opinion vocally or in
writing on any issue considered at a session [of the Supreme
Council] as well as propose issues for consideration.
A deputy may submit the text of his or her speech on the
issue under consideration to the chair for inclusion into the
shorthand record of a sitting.
The discharging of these rights and duties is determined by
the rules of procedure of the Supreme Council.
Chapter 2
A Deputy's Participation at a Session
Article 5. Relations with constituents
A deputy is fully accountable to his or her constituents and
regularly issues accounts of activities to them.
A deputy who has not justified his or her constituents'
trust may be recalled accoring to procedures established by law.
Article 6. Provision of conditions for a deputy's activities
The state must guarantee a deputy conditions necessary for
effective performance of his parliamentary activities.
Persons and officials hindering the execution of a deputy's
powers or threatening the life, health, honour, and dignity of a
deputy as the representative of the state, is held accountable in
accordance with the law.
Article 7. Participation in [Supreme Council] Sessions
A deputy's participation at a session [of the Supreme
Council] is mandatory.
If the deputy is unable to participate at the sittings of a
session, that deputy must inform the Supreme Council of this.
A deputy has the right of deciding vote on all issues under
discussion, and has the right to elect and be elected to any
institution of the Supreme Council.
A deputy may express his opinion vocally or in writing on
any issue considered at the session as well as propose issues for
consideration.
A deputy may submit the text of his or her speech on the
issue under consideration to the chair for inclusion into the
shorthand record of a sitting.
The discharging of these rights and duties is determined by
the rules of procedure of the Supreme Council.
Article 8. The Right of legislative initiative
A deputy has the right of legislative initiative at the
Supreme Council, i.e. the right to propose adequately formulated
draft legislation or to submit the proposal on the adoption of
concrete laws which must be considered by the Supreme Council.
Article 9. The Right to Inquiry
A deputy has the right submit an inquiry, vocally or in
writing, to all heads and officials of state bodies of the
Republic of Lithuania requesting that [these officials] reply to
or expand their view on issues pertaining to their competence.
The head of a state institution or the official to whom the
inquiry is addressed must reply in the form required by the
deputy.
According to procedures established by law, a deputy has the
right to raise the issue of confidence in an elected or
established institution, or an elected, appointed or confirmed
official, during a Supreme Council session.
Chapter 3
A Deputy's Activities in the Electoral District
Article 10. Meeting with Constituents, Consideration of
Their Proposals, Appeals and Petitions
A deputy must regularly hold meetings with his constituents
in his or her electoral district. The deputy has the right to
invite officials of local municipal executive bodies, managers
and proprietors of enterprises, institutions, and organisations
located in the electoral district to take part in the meeting.
A deputy considers proposals, appeals, and petitions
submitted by constituents and, on certain occasions, forwards
them for consideration to the appropriate state bodies.
With the assistance of experts from institutions of state
control and supervision, a deputy monitors how these appeals are
being resolved.
Officials to whom a deputy's appeal was addressed, including
citizens' proposals, appeals, and petitions, must consider them
no later than within 20 days upon the receipt of these inquiries.
Article 11. The Right to Participate in Meetings of State
and Governing Institutions
A deputy has the right to participate at the meetings of
state and governing institution when issues concerning the
interests of his or her constituents are addressed.
Article 12. Assistance Provided for a Deputy
In Activities in the Electoral District Local governments
and their executive bodies, managers and proprietors of
enterprises, institutions and organisations, irrespective of
their jurisdiction, must provide a deputy with conditions
enabling meetings with constituents, and must inform the deputy
about the time and place of such meetings, and provide the deputy
with other assistance and information essential for this purpose.
Chapter 4
Guarantees of a Deputy's Activities
Article 13. Material and Social Maintenance
A deputy is paid a salary from the state budget.
The procedure and amount of payment is established by the
Supreme Council.
A deputy has the right to have assistants and or secretaries
who receive a salary from the state budget as well as assistants
working on a volunteer basis.
Article 14. The Right to Reception Without Delay, to
Unrestricted Access to Enterprises, Institutions
and Organisations
A deputy has the right to be received without delay at
enterprises, institutions and organisations on issues pertaining
to his or her activities as a deputy and be provided with
necessary information.
A deputy has the right to unrestricted access to all
enterprises, institutions and organisations on the territory of
the Republic. The procedure of approaching enterprises,
institutions and organisations, the activities of which are
associated with state secrets, is established by law.
Article 15. The Priority Right to the Use of Radio,
Television and the Print Media
A deputy has the priority right to make use of radio,
television and the print media free of charge on issues
pertaining to a deputy's activities.
It is prohibited to edit the material submitted by a deputy
without his or her consent.
Article 16. Protection of Deputy's Employment Rights
After the expiration of the term of office, with the
exception of cases where the deputy has been recalled, a deputy
must be provided with employment or post at state institutions,
enterprises and organisations which he had occupied or engaged in
before election. In the case that there is no such opportunity
due to the abolition of his or her primary post or liquidation of
an enterprise, institution, or organisation, a deputy must be
provided with similar employment or post at the same enterprise,
institution, or organisation or, with the deputy's consent, at
another enterprise, institution, or organisation.
The length of a deputy's parliamentary activities is
included in the length of service of general employment.
Election as deputy does not terminate membership in artistic
unions and or free trade unions.
Article 17. Responsibility for Ignoring a Deputy's
Legitimate Request
On realizing that citizens' rights and laws have been
violated, a deputy has the right to immediately demand that the
violation be rectified or, he may address appropriate
institutions and officials.
The violation must annotated in the record drawn up by
representatives of lawenforcement and supervising agencies.
For ignoring a deputy's legitimate demands, a guilty
official may be entailed to disciplinary penalty or dismissed
from his post.
In cases envisaged by law legal action may be taken against
said official.
Article 18. Immunity
A deputy may not be found criminally responsible, arrested,
or his or her personal freedom may not be restrained in an
administrative order without the consent of the Supreme Council,
except in cases when the deputy is found in flagrant violation of
the law. In such cases, the Procurator of the Republic of
Lithuania must inform the Supreme Council of such a violation
without delay.
On receiving the consent of the Supreme Council to initiate
proceedings against a deputy, the deputy may not be arrested in
the building of the Supreme Council.
A deputy may not be persecuted for speeches, opinions, or
votes voiced at the Supreme Council.
Only the Procurator General of the Republic of Lithuania has
the right to initiate legal proceedings against a deputy.
A deputy as a witness is not obliged to yield information,
or its source, acquired while exercising his duties as a deputy.
In his foreign travels a deputy is entitled to the use of a
diplomatic passport.
Article 19. Procedure for Obtaining the Consent of the
Supreme Council to Initiate Legal Actions
Against a Deputy
In order to receive the consent of the Supreme Council to
initiate legal actions against a deputy, or to arrest or fine him
in administrative order, the Procurator General of the Republic
of Lithuania must submit the motion to the Supreme Council.
The Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania must
considers the motion no later than within a one month period.
The Supreme Council musty adopt a reasonable decision and
must inform the Procurator General of the decision within three
days.
If necessary, the Supreme Council may reconsider its
decision. A deputy has the right to be present when the Council
considers the issue of his or her immunity.
Article 20. Identification cards and badges
A deputy is entitled to a deputy's identification card and a
deputy's badge after the deputy's powers have been affirmed by
the Supreme Council. A Deputy's identification card and badge is
valid during the period of his term of office.
Samples of deputy's identification cards and badges are
approved by the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Republic
of Lithuania.
Vytautas Landsbergis
President
Supreme Council
Republic of Lithuania
11 April 1990
No. I-137