The complaint is considered according to a certain procedure.
How is your application examined?
After the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson receives your application, he/she will decide whether to commence the investigation procedure. If he/she decides not to open it, he/she will explain the reasons for such a decision. In the case the complaint is beyond the competence of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson, you might be informed to which institution the complaint has to be lodged.
If the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson decides to commence the investigation of your case, he/she may request more information from you or the state institutions or private persons that you have complained about. If needed, he/she may also request information from other institutions or experts.
After the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson, has gathered all the information needed for the examination of your case, he/she will issue a decision. In the decision, the Ombudsperson can either conclude that you have been a victim of discrimination or harassment, or decide that your rights have not been violated.
If the Ombudsperson has concluded that a state institution or a private entity has violated your human rights, he/she will inform the relevant state institution or a private entity about this decision.
Read more about the effect of this decision.
How long will it take?
If you submit a complaint to the Ombudsperson, he/she will take a decision on whether to initiate the investigation and inform you about the decision within 10 days.
If the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson decides to commence the investigation, he/she must conclude it within 3 months of its opening.
The Ombudsperson may extend the time limit for the commencement of the investigation by a month if your case is complex and he/she needs more information from the state institutions or private individuals for its examination.
note The filing of an application with the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson or the commencement of the investigation does not interfere with any other time limits you may have in the Lithuanian courts or government agencies. It also does not interfere with the time limits for filing your application to the European Court of Human Rights or other international human rights institutions.