Contributed by: Vilana Pilinkaite-Sotirovic, Lithuania National VAW Monitor

Recently, News Radio presented the problem of the state obligation to compensate victims of violent crimes for discussion. The special focus was on the issues of the heavy compensatory system under the recent law on Compensation for Victims of Violent Crimes. As the data shows, in 2005, only five people applied for compensation. In the ninth month of 2006, there were 56 applications and only nine of them were positively resolved. It seems that victims of violent crimes theoretically can get compensation, but practically, they have limited chances to get it.

One of the main problems identified by some lawyers is the state’s haste to adopt the law under the EU requirements and report to EU about the state’s progress in the matter of victim care. The other problem are the arduous mechanisms for compensation, which are extremely unfavorable for victims. A victim can apply for compensation if there is a decision from the court. The possibility of receiving compensation in advance is very limited and only in the case of murder. Finally, the Ministry of Justice reduced the sum for compensation from 7 mln litas (3.5 million euros) in 2005 to 4 mln litas (1.2 milion Euros) in 2006, because only a few victims could be compensated. Some lawyers have argued that the government’s policy is extremely inhuman and humiliating for the victim, because the victim could fail to apply for compensation one year, but can claim it the next year. Although the specialists of the Ministry of Justice stated that the mechanisms for compensation will be liberalized, they did not mention that the sums for compensation will be increased. The open question remains how the state is going to compensate victims if the system is  liberalized but sums for compensation are not increased.

Compiled by: Raigardas Musnickas,  Kodėl smurtinių nusikaltimų aukos negauna kompensacijų? Žinių radijas, January 24, 2007.