Lithuanian parliament speaker proposes extending equal opportunities controller’s term

Lithuanian parliament speaker Juozas Olekas has submitted a draft resolution to allow Birutė Sabatauskaitė to continue serving as the country’s equal opportunities controller, public broadcaster LRT reported Tuesday.

Sabatauskaitė was first appointed to the role in 2021. A lawyer by training, she previously led the Lithuanian Human Rights Centre and holds a master’s degree in international law from Mykolas Romeris University. Her father, Julius Sabatauskas, is a member of the Social Democratic Party faction in the Seimas and chairs the Legal Affairs Committee.

The speaker also proposed appointing Alina Jakavonienė, former director of the State Child Rights Protection and Adoption Service, as the new child rights ombudsman. The current ombudsman, Edita Žiobienė, has held the position since 2010.

Both appointments require parliamentary approval, with terms lasting five years. The proposals will be presented during Thursday’s session.