Lithuanian parliament considers higher fines for buyers of sexual services

The Lithuanian parliament is reviewing a proposal to significantly increase fines for individuals who pay for sexual services, LRT reports. The amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences, submitted by Social Democrat MP Birutė Vėsaitė, would raise penalties to between €1,000 and €1,600 for first-time offences, with repeat violations incurring fines of €1,600 to €3,500.

Vėsaitė argues that European experience shows the most effective way to reduce prostitution is not by penalising those who provide services, but by imposing heavier financial consequences on buyers. She cited models in Iceland, Norway, France, and Sweden, which treat the purchase of sexual services as an act that sustains exploitation, violence, and human trafficking structures.

“The principle is clear: those who are vulnerable and exploited in prostitution should not be punished, but rather those who fuel and finance the market for sexual exploitation,” Vėsaitė stated. She noted that minors, refugees, individuals with addictions, and other at-risk groups are increasingly drawn into prostitution, while current fines—ranging from €90 to €300—fail to act as a meaningful deterrent.

The proposal received initial support in parliament on Thursday, with 64 MPs voting in favour, three against, and five abstaining. It will now be reviewed by the Legal Affairs and Human Rights committees before returning to the full chamber for a final vote on June 14.