OSCE/ODIHR Opinion on the Law of the Republic of Lithuania on the Seimas Ombudsmen 3. “Complainant” means a natural or a legal person who applies to the Seimas Ombudsmen’s Office filing a complaint about abuse of office by or bureaucracy of officials. 4. “Abuse of office” means acts or omission on the part of the official when the powers granted to him are exercised not in accordance with laws and other legal acts but for selfseeking purposes or for other personal considerations (abuse of official position, revenge, envy, careerism, provision of illegal services, etc.) as well as actions of the official whereby he exceeds his authority or his arbitrary actions. Article 3. Purpose of Activities of the Seimas Ombudsmen The purpose of activities of the Seimas Ombudsmen is to protect a person’s right to good public administration securing human rights and freedoms, to supervise fulfilment by state authorities of their duty to properly serve the people. Article 4. Basic Principles of Activities of the Seimas Ombudsmen The Seimas Ombudsmen shall observe the following principles in their activities: 1) respect for the person and the state. Pursuant to the Constitutional provision that state authorities shall serve the people, the Seimas Ombudsmen shall seek to ensure each person’s right to good public administration; 2) freedom and independence of activities. The Seimas Ombudsmen shall be independent from other institutions. The rights and duties of each Seimas Ombudsman shall be equal, each of them shall act independently within their spheres of jurisdiction; 3) accountability. The Seimas Ombudsmen shall be accountable for their activities to the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania; 4) compliance with the law. The Seimas Ombudsmen shall act in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, this and other laws and legal acts, international treaties and agreements and principles of law; 5) impartiality and fairness. The Seimas Ombudsmen shall protect all persons equally (equally fairly) regardless of their ethnic background, race, gender, language, origin, social status, religious beliefs or political convictions. The Seimas Ombudsmen shall be objective and fair in their activities; 6) proportionality. When defending human rights and freedoms, the Seimas Ombudsmen shall seek to maintain the balance between a person’s private interests and public interests, 21