The requirement set by Vilnius city mayor Remigijaus Šimašius for the director of Pavilniai and Verkiau regional parks to know how to ride a bicycle violated the Equal Opportunities Law, the Vilnius District Administrative Court (VAAT) stated on Thursday.
The court re-evaluated the complaint of the Equal Opportunities Controller two years later, as ordered by the Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania. In October 2017, the VAAT rejected the complaint after deciding that the controller could not apply because there was no relevant decision of the service.
The equal opportunities controller, having received a complaint from one of the tender participants, has determined that R. Šimašius discriminated against persons with disabilities in the job advertisement for the position of Director of the Regional Parks Directorate of Pavilniai and Verkiau, stating that candidates must be able to ride a bicycle. The possibility of moving in the parks by other ecological vehicles was not foreseen.
"Approved job description of the director of Pavilniai and Verkiau Regional Parks Directorate Vilnius city municipalities the mayor's decree, the part that establishes the special requirement to be able to ride a bicycle, contradicts the Law on Equal Opportunities and cannot be applied from the date of publication of the decision of the Administrative Court of the Vilnius District which has entered into force", the court said.
The panel of judges that made the decision noted that the provisions of the Law on Equal Opportunities oblige state and local government institutions to ensure equal rights and opportunities, regardless of gender, race, nationality, citizenship, language, origin, social status, faith, beliefs or views, age, sexual orientation, disability , ethnicity, religion.
The court's decision can still be appealed to the Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania within a month.
The mayor of Vilnius called the requirement to be able to ride a bicycle objective, because it is necessary for the direct functions of the park manager: he has to look after a large territory with different terrain, organize environmental, scientific, cognitive-recreational, educational activities in it.
The municipality then announced that the manager of the regional park has to take care of the park territory covering several thousand hectares, paying great attention to the preservation and promotion of the natural and cultural values of the parks. According to the municipality, employees cycle around an area of this size in a week.
Author: Ignas Jačauskas
