I am very hungry for LGBT + and human rights changes in Lithuania. My community has been waiting for legal change from politicians for 30 years now. We have been waiting for too long – it is time to become politicians ourselves. I am the first openly homosexual politician elected to the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania. Why am I in Seimas?

Having extensive experience in the field of human rights, non-discrimination and equal opportunities, I want to contribute to creating an atmosphere in Lithuania that gives a very concrete and tangible feeling that our country belongs to all citizens without exception, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, language or other factors. When tackling economic and social issues at the political level, we often forget that human dignity is vital in a free country. Only by demonstrating respect for human dignity and acknowledging the differences between each of us can we create a community where people want to live, create and be happy, and diversity is seen as our strength, not our disadvantage.

I dream of a Lithuania where there is no place for discrimination, hatred and violence. Although I understand that equal opportunities are just a part of the picture, I am absolutely convinced that all decisions in the state must be made based not only on the criterion of economic benefits, but also on the assessment of how these decisions will affect different groups in our community. For this reason, voices are needed of those who see human rights, non-discrimination and equal opportunities as absolute priorities. That is the voice I want to be in the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania.