Lithuanian parliament appoints Bernotaitė to chief ethics commission

The Lithuanian Seimas has appointed Jolanta Bernotaitė as a member of the country’s Chief Official Ethics Commission (VTEK), state news agency ELTA reports.

In a secret ballot on Thursday, 88 lawmakers voted in favour of her candidacy, with five opposing and five abstaining. Bernotaitė’s nomination was submitted to the Seimas last week.

Presenting herself to parliament, she highlighted her professional experience, including a law degree from Vilnius University and her current role as head of the Corruption Prevention and Internal Investigations Division at the Ministry of Justice since 2022.

VTEK consists of five members, each nominated by the president, the Seimas speaker, the prime minister, the Lithuanian Bar Association, and the National Council of Non-Governmental Organisations. The same individual may serve no more than two consecutive terms. Appointments are confirmed by the Seimas, and new members must take an oath of office before assuming their duties.