Suchergebnisse

The article is intended to examine the 2020 amendments to the Russian Constitution (1993), which not only substantially changed the constitutional structure of powers in Russia, but also led to a crisis in the identity of the Russian Constitution. The 2020 amendments to the Russian Constitution raise many important constitutional questions. The author analyzes, inter alia, the nature of constitutional amendments and their destructive role, the role of the constitutional review institution in the process of amending the constitution, the political character of such an institution in an authoritarian state, etc. The author presents the process of adopting the constitutional amendment initiated by the President of Russia, which was remarkably rapid. The 2020 amendments to the Russian Constitution provide also a unique opportunity to analyze the opinion of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, which had already given its assessment of both this process and the content of the proposed amendments in the opinion of 16 March 2020, also in regard to amendments that concern the Constitutional Court itself and its independence. The 2020 amendments to the Russian Constitution, thus, inevitably raise questions concerning the altered nature of the Constitution, its integrity, and the compatibility of its provisions. Neither the conclusion given by the Russian Constitutional Court, nor the "all-Russian vote" carried out on 1 July 2020, will remove these doubts.

In the jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Lithuania (the Constitutional Court), the doctrine of human rights occupies a particular place; there is hardly a Constitutional Court ruling (act) which would not include statements on the doctrine of human rights. This doctrine is being developed and its new features constantly come into being. The institutions of the constitutional control-the constitutional courts-constantly interpret the rights and freedoms which are enshrined in the constitutions, thus, the final limits of law are drawn by the constitutional jurisprudence. The recognition of the evolution of the official constitutional doctrine, i.e. the recognition that the process of the creation of the constitutional doctrine is continuous and may not be finite, is an important feature of the formation of the jurisprudential constitution which influences the concept of the constitutional freedoms of a person. Constitutional case law (and not the formal amendment procedure) assumes the task of adjusting constitutional norms to changing political and social contexts and of developing those norms beyond the originally intended scope1 .The recognition of the jurisprudential constitution not only broadens the concept of the constitutional rights, but also increases the possibilities to recognize other rights as constitutional rights. The concept of the jurisprudential con¬stitution materialise the constitution as the concept of interrelation of the two elements of the constitutional normative reality-the constitution and the constitutional jurisprudence . 'The human rights rules thus concretised by the courts gain authority from a newly identified social source of law".3 Interpreting social rights constitutional courts come very close to the border of policy making.[.]. ; Straipsnyje nagrinėjama konstitucinių socialinių teisių samprata ir jų konstitucinės doktrinos raida. Konstitucinio Teismo jurisprudencijoje žmogaus teisių doktrina užima ypač svarbią vietą, ji nuolat plėtojama. Neabejotina, kad kai kurioms naujosioms socialinių teisių tendencijoms daug įtakos turėjo anksčiau sukurta konstitucinė doktrina ir vis didėjanti Žmogaus teisių svarba bei naujai atsiskleidžiantys žmogaus teisių aspektai, kuriuos rastis skatina ir moderniųjų technologijų plėtra. Straipsnyje analizuojamos tokios Konstitucinio Teismo jurisprudencijoje išryškėjusios tendencijos: socialinių teisių pripažinimas individualiomis asmens teisėmis ir jų teisminio gynimo galimybės; socialinių teisių pripažinimas svarbiomis žmogaus teisėmis, jų ir kitų (pilietinių ir politinių) žmogaus teisių nedalomumo principo konstitucinis įtvirtinimas. Teisių nedalomumo principas, grindžiamas visų žmogaus teisių svarbumu ir integralumu, laikomas vienu svarbiausių šiuolaikinės žmogaus teisių doktrinos ypatumu. Straipsnyje aptariama ir legislatyvinės emisijos problema bei teismo įgaliojimai, kai sprendžiant su asmens konstitucinėmis teisėmis susijusias bylas susiduriama su teisės spragomis. Aiškinantis socialinių teisių konstitucinės doktrinos raidos naująsias tendencijas straipsnyje nagrinėjamos ir kai kurios Europos Žmogaus Teisių Teismo jurisprudencijos tendencijos, veikiančios arba galinčios ateityje paveikti socialinių konstitucinių teisių doktrinos raidą.

The aim of this article is to analyse what kind of powers deriving from the rule of law can be extended to public authorities in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, what is the balance of powers between the legislative and the executive whilst imposing measures controlling the virus, and what role is played by the constitutional courts whilst deliberating on constitutional disputes involving public authorities. ; Straipsnyje analizuojama, kokių remiantis teisinės valstybės principu įgaliojimų kyla valstybės valdžios institucijoms reaguojant į pasaulinę COVID-19 pandemiją, kokia yra įstatymų leidžiamosios ir vykdomosios valdžių galių pusiausvyra, nustatant viruso valdymo priemones, ir kokį vaidmenį vaidina konstituciniai teismai spręsdami valstybės institucijų konstitucinius ginčus.

The article discusses the problems of development of women's political rights in Lithuania in the legal historical aspect starting from the 16th century, when some property and individual rights were enshrined in the first codifications of the laws of the Great Duchy of Lithuania. The aim of the article is to show that women's struggle for political equality and suffrage at the end of the 19th and at the turn of the 20th century correlates with the movement for re-establishment of the independent State of Lithuania. As a result in Lithuania equal suffrage and political rights were ensured from the very beginning of independence. In 1905 the Great Seimas of Vilnius recognized the principles of equality of women and men and declared the principles of equal general election to the Seimas (parliament); women's suffrage, as one of the elements of legal equality, became constitutionally entrenched already in the first temporary Constitution of the State of Lithuania in 1918. At the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century women's rights have been further developed, moreover, the first woman was elected as President of the Republic in the national elections in May 2009. ; Straipsnyje moterų teisių raida Lietuvoje nagrinėjama teisiniu istoriniu aspektu, daugiausia dėmesio skiriant politinėms teisėms. Lietuva iš kitų valstybių išsiskiria tuo, kad joje žmogaus teisių doktrina ėmė formuotis anksti. Jau XVI a. Lietuvos Statutuose, atspindinčiuose to meto europinę žmogaus teisių sampratą, buvo pripažintos kai kurios turtinės ir asmeninės moterų teisės. Dėl Lietuvos valstybei nepalankiai susiklosčiusių istorinių aplinkybių moterų teisės XVIII a. pabaigoje–XIX a. pradžioje nebuvo plėtojamos, jos savo teisių pripažinimo, lygiateisiškumo siekė plačia šviečiamąja labdaringa veikla, neatsiejama nuo Lietuvos valstybingumo atkūrimo siekio, dalyvavo sukilimuose prieš carinę Rusiją. XIX a. pabaigoje Lietuvoje prasidėjo feministinis sąjūdis, moterų siekis turėti lygias su vyrais politines teises atsispindėjo 1905 m. Didžiojo Vilniaus Seimo dokumentuose, kuriuose buvo deklaruojama moterų ir vyrų lygybė, įtvirtinti visuotiniai lygūs Seimo rinkimų principai, vėliau konstituciškai įteisinti 1918 m. Laikinojoje Konstitucijoje ir kitose XX a. pirmojoje pusėje priimtose konstitucijose. Straipsnyje nagrinėjama moterų dalyvavimas įvairiuose moterų judėjimuose, politinių partijų veikloje, moterų Seimo narių veikla Steigiamajame Seime ir kituose Seimuose. Pagrindžiama, kad aktyvi įvairių moterų organizacijų veikla siekiant politinių teisių pripažinimo neatsiejama nuo Lietuvos valstybingumo atkūrimo, ir tai lėmė, kad ir moterų, ir vyrų politinių teisių pripažinimas vyko vienu metu. XX a. pabaigoje atkūrus nepriklausomą Lietuvos Respubliką moterų politinės teisės buvo toliau plėtojamos. Svariausiai moterų lygiateisiškumo pripažinimą patvirtina tai, kad 2009 m. gegužės mėn. didele rinkimuose dalyvavusių rinkėjų balsų dauguma pirmą kartą Lietuvoje Respublikos Prezidente yra išrinkta moteris – Dalia Grybauskaitė.

Engl. Zsfassung u.d.T.: Lithuanian constitutional law : development, institutions, rights protection, self-government

The Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania was adopted by referendum on 25 October 1992. The source of the Constitution is the Nation. The Constitution is a constituent act of the Nation; therefore, it is primary law in terms of both legal force and content, i.e. it is the centre of legal life and determines the directions and content of lawmaking. The Constitution is a social contract: this special legal act establishes public authority, contains an agreement on the composition of public authority and on the procedures for its organisation and functioning, consolidates human rights and freedoms, and provides for the ways of protecting them. At the same time, the Constitution consolidates the state as the common good of the whole of society; the strivings and values of the Nation that are enshrined in the Constitution express the constitutional identity of the State of Lithuania. As an act of a substantive nature, the Constitution is based on universal and unquestionable democratic values, inherent in the tradition of western law; moreover, the Constitution is an anti-majoritarian act, protecting the freedom and innate rights of not only the Nation, but also the individual. [.]

The Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania was adopted by referendum on 25 October 1992. The source of the Constitution is the Nation. The Constitution is a constituent act of the Nation; therefore, it is primary law in terms of both legal force and content, i.e. it is the centre of legal life and determines the directions and content of lawmaking. The Constitution is a social contract: this special legal act establishes public authority, contains an agreement on the composition of public authority and on the procedures for its organisation and functioning, consolidates human rights and freedoms, and provides for the ways of protecting them. At the same time, the Constitution consolidates the state as the common good of the whole of society; the strivings and values of the Nation that are enshrined in the Constitution express the constitutional identity of the State of Lithuania. As an act of a substantive nature, the Constitution is based on universal and unquestionable democratic values, inherent in the tradition of western law; moreover, the Constitution is an anti-majoritarian act, protecting the freedom and innate rights of not only the Nation, but also the individual. [.]

This scientific study is the sequel of works from the Department of Constitutional Law, Faculty of Law at Mykolas Romeris University, aimed at widening the knowledge about constitutions and democratic constitutionalism in the context of comparative constitutional law. It should be noted that after 11 March 1990 the independent Lithuanian state was restored, and no studies about constitutions of other countries or constitutional development experience in Europe and other regions of the world were published. The educational publication "Constitutions of Foreign Countries" was released in order to fill this gap, at least partially. The texts of the constitutions of the French Republic, the Federal Republic of Germany, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (non-consolidated constitutions), the Finnish Republic, the Estonian Republic, the Latvian Republic, the Polish Republic, the United States of America and the Russian Federation were published within. The texts were translated from the respective foreign languages. Compilers of the publication wrote afterwards that it was sought to present the constitutions in the Lithuanian language which was very important in the awakening of constitutionalism, as well as the constitutions that expressed specific political and legal features in Europe. [.]

This scientific study is the sequel of works from the Department of Constitutional Law, Faculty of Law at Mykolas Romeris University, aimed at widening the knowledge about constitutions and democratic constitutionalism in the context of comparative constitutional law. It should be noted that after 11 March 1990 the independent Lithuanian state was restored, and no studies about constitutions of other countries or constitutional development experience in Europe and other regions of the world were published. The educational publication "Constitutions of Foreign Countries" was released in order to fill this gap, at least partially. The texts of the constitutions of the French Republic, the Federal Republic of Germany, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (non-consolidated constitutions), the Finnish Republic, the Estonian Republic, the Latvian Republic, the Polish Republic, the United States of America and the Russian Federation were published within. The texts were translated from the respective foreign languages. Compilers of the publication wrote afterwards that it was sought to present the constitutions in the Lithuanian language which was very important in the awakening of constitutionalism, as well as the constitutions that expressed specific political and legal features in Europe. [.]

Just as we never get a second chance to make a good first impression, we may equally be deprived of a unique chance to act both as witnesses and evaluators of the centennial after regaining the independence of the Republic of Lithuania if we fail to review and assess this period. Therefore, we have to seize the opportunity and reflect upon the twisting path of our history since regaining the independence of the state until the current situation. The centennial development of law cannot be disembodied from the story of state's development. One can treat law both as a pathfinder and as a legal guide of the state; however it can likewise be applied as an instrument to solely ensure proper functioning of the state. Creating an effective system of law is not a one-day project; it is the process requiring deliberation, constant effort and deep awareness, otherwise the system will be doomed to failure or malfunctioning. Every state or nation is believed to deserve such a legal system as the efforts that the state puts to ascertain and develop it. The centennial period since the restoration of the independence of the Republic of Lithuania can unmistakably be described as a unique one: on the one hand the state was faced with the challenges of restoration and creation in various areas of the state and the society; it later experienced the loss of independence and survived 50 years of occupation; it eventually restored an independent state and was repeatedly faced with fresh challenges of re-establishing a historically-literate, well-structured and well-functioning state-governance system in both national and international levels. On the other hand, the technological and communications progress intensified the recent hundred years to such an extent that it clearly outdistances any previous centennials. Advancement of information technologies intensifies our time, our law, while huge amounts of information and its immense spread accelerate the pace of our life and our history. New forms of social relations and new branches of law emerge all in need of proper legal regulation. The study "The Development of the Lithuanian Law within the Period of 1918-2018: the Centennial Experience and Prospects" is a result of joint research efforts of more than 50 outstanding lawyers representing different areas of law from Mykolas Romeris University, Vytautas Magnus University, and Vilnius University. The study, dedicated to the Centennial of Lithuanian statehood due in 2018, presents the results of scientific research on legal science and major branches of law, covering the period of 1918-beginning of 2018 (information presented in the study covers a period until end-2017); it reflects upon the centennial development of Lithuanian law, discusses its major characteristics, tendencies and preconditions of their formation; it examines its influence on the state and state authorities and envisages possible impact on the development of law in the future. The Lithuanian law of 1918-2018 is analysed from the perspective of three statehood periods. 1918-1940 is the period when the independence of the Republic of Lithuania was declared, the groundwork for the statehood was laid and an independent legal system was being established. 1940- 1990 denotes the period of occupation, when the authentic legal system of Lithuania was destroyed and the Soviet legal system was forcibly entrenched. The latter was based on socialist ideology and the superiority of governmental authority over the civil society. It is not easy to evaluate the span of 1990- 2018 as the impartial assessment of it is seriously hindered by the authors' partial attitude towards the existing surrounding phenomena. [.]

Just as we never get a second chance to make a good first impression, we may equally be deprived of a unique chance to act both as witnesses and evaluators of the centennial after regaining the independence of the Republic of Lithuania if we fail to review and assess this period. Therefore, we have to seize the opportunity and reflect upon the twisting path of our history since regaining the independence of the state until the current situation. The centennial development of law cannot be disembodied from the story of state's development. One can treat law both as a pathfinder and as a legal guide of the state; however it can likewise be applied as an instrument to solely ensure proper functioning of the state. Creating an effective system of law is not a one-day project; it is the process requiring deliberation, constant effort and deep awareness, otherwise the system will be doomed to failure or malfunctioning. Every state or nation is believed to deserve such a legal system as the efforts that the state puts to ascertain and develop it. The centennial period since the restoration of the independence of the Republic of Lithuania can unmistakably be described as a unique one: on the one hand the state was faced with the challenges of restoration and creation in various areas of the state and the society; it later experienced the loss of independence and survived 50 years of occupation; it eventually restored an independent state and was repeatedly faced with fresh challenges of re-establishing a historically-literate, well-structured and well-functioning state-governance system in both national and international levels. On the other hand, the technological and communications progress intensified the recent hundred years to such an extent that it clearly outdistances any previous centennials. Advancement of information technologies intensifies our time, our law, while huge amounts of information and its immense spread accelerate the pace of our life and our history. New forms of social relations and new branches of law emerge all in need of proper legal regulation. The study "The Development of the Lithuanian Law within the Period of 1918-2018: the Centennial Experience and Prospects" is a result of joint research efforts of more than 50 outstanding lawyers representing different areas of law from Mykolas Romeris University, Vytautas Magnus University, and Vilnius University. The study, dedicated to the Centennial of Lithuanian statehood due in 2018, presents the results of scientific research on legal science and major branches of law, covering the period of 1918-beginning of 2018 (information presented in the study covers a period until end-2017); it reflects upon the centennial development of Lithuanian law, discusses its major characteristics, tendencies and preconditions of their formation; it examines its influence on the state and state authorities and envisages possible impact on the development of law in the future. The Lithuanian law of 1918-2018 is analysed from the perspective of three statehood periods. 1918-1940 is the period when the independence of the Republic of Lithuania was declared, the groundwork for the statehood was laid and an independent legal system was being established. 1940- 1990 denotes the period of occupation, when the authentic legal system of Lithuania was destroyed and the Soviet legal system was forcibly entrenched. The latter was based on socialist ideology and the superiority of governmental authority over the civil society. It is not easy to evaluate the span of 1990- 2018 as the impartial assessment of it is seriously hindered by the authors' partial attitude towards the existing surrounding phenomena. [.]