ANNUAL REPORT OF 2019 ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE SEIMAS OMBUDSMEN’S OFFICE OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA 4 INTRODUCTORY WORD BY THE SEIMAS OMBUDSMEN In addition to other constitutional principles enshrined in the applicable version of the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania adopted in the referendum of 25 October 1992, such as the principle of the supremacy of the Constitution, the integrity of the Constitution, the rule of law, the secular state, the separation of powers, etc., the crucial principle is the principle of social orientation. Although there is no definition of a social state in the modern Constitution of Lithuania, the totality of the constitutional rules reflects the social orientation of the state. A socially oriented state is not identified with social state, especially a welfare state, nor opposed to the rule of law, but in the doctrine of a modern constitutional law it forms an indivisible whole which characterizes the construction of a democratic state. Given that the particular rules and principles reflecting the social orientation of the State are enshrined in the Constitution, not only their declaration, but also their actual implementation is undoubtedly important, the Constitution enshrines the duty of the State to ensure the security and protection of human dignity. It is important to note that the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Lithuania has repeatedly stated in its rulings that dignity is an inalienable characteristic of the individual as the greatest social value; every member of the society has natural dignity; natural human rights are the natural possibilities of the individual, which ensure his human dignity in the fields of social life. The fact that the legislator, when regulating relationships concerning the exercise of human rights and freedoms, must guarantee their proper protection is one of the preconditions for ensuring human dignity as the constitutional value. State institutions and officials have a duty to respect human dignity as a special value; violations of human rights and freedoms can also undermine human dignity. The State must establish the system of social security which would help maintain the living conditions which correspond to the dignity of the person and, if necessary, provide the person with the necessary social protection1. 1 For example, the ruling of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Lithuania of 9 December 1998, the ruling of 9 December 2004, the ruling of 2 September 2009. EVERYONE COUNTS