Does article 179 of the criminal code of the Republic of Lithuania comply with the ultima ratio principle?

Magistro baigiamajame darbe siekiama nustatyti, ar BK (toliau LR BK arba BK) 179 straipsnio norma atitinka ultima ratio principą. Šiame darbe yra nustatyta ultima ratio principo sąvoka ir taikymas baudžiamojoje teisėje. Ištirta LR BK 179 straipsnyje numatytos nusikalstamos veikos sudėtis, atsiradimas baudžiamojoje teisėje bei pavojingumas. Pasitelkiant teismų praktikos analizę bei teisės jurisprudenciją, nustatyti bendrieji nusikalstamos veikos ir civilinės teisės pažeidimo atribojimo kriterijai. Išanalizavus teismų praktiką, nustatytos nusikalstamos veikos, numatytos BK 179 straipsnyje ir civilinės teisės pažeidimo atribojimo problemos. Atsižvelgiant į ultima ratio principo turinį, šiame darbe yra išanalizuoti Latvijos ir Estijos valstybių teisiniai režimai, susiję su baudžiamosios atsakomybės taikymu dėl neteisėto naudojimosi energija ir ryšių paslaugomis. Nustatyta, kad Estijos reguliavimas yra netinkamas pavyzdys Lietuvai. Latvijoje taikomas modelis, t. y. baudžiamosios atsakomybės taikymas tik už reikšmingą arba didelę žalą bei administracinės atsakomybės taikymas, galėtų būti efektyviai taikomas ir Lietuvos Respublikos teisiniame reguliavime. Nustatytos alternatyvios poveikio priemonės. Civilinė atsakomybė turėtų būti taikoma tuo atveju, kai kaltinamasis yra žinomas ir nukentėjusiojo galimybės atkurti pažeistas teises nėra apsunkintos. Administracinė atsakomybė tuo atveju, kai kaltinamasis nėra žinomas, tačiau padaryta žala nesiekia 5 MGL dydžio sumos. Toks teisinis reguliavimas puikiai sureaguliuotų perteklinį kriminalizavimą ir užtikrintų ultima ratio principo taikymą. Išvada dėl baudžiamosios atsakomybės už neteisėtą naudojimąsi energija ir ryšių paslaugomis, kai padaroma nedidelė žala, neatitikimo ultima ratio principui, padaryta atsižvelgus į Latvijoje taikomas, baudžiamajai teisei alternatyves priemones ir pasiektus pozityvius rezultatus, taip pat įvertinus veikos pavojingumą. Atsižvelgiant į teisės praktikos atstovų nuomones, Latvijoje pasiteisinusias priemonės, Lietuvos teisinėje sistemoje galimas alternatyvias priemones, yra siūloma panaikinti baudžiamąją atsakomybę už neteisėtą naudojimąsi energija ir ryšių paslaugomis, kai padaroma nedidelė žala. Už šią veiką nustatant administracinę atsakomybę.The need to resolve the issue of excessive criminalization in the Criminal Code of the Republic of Lithuania has been discussed more and more often recently. If unlawful use of energy and communication services is regulated by both – Criminal and Civil Codes in the Republic of Lithuania, the question arises whether application of criminal liability for unlawful use of energy and communication services is rational, proportionate and whether it does not violate the ultima ratio (last resort) principle. This Master Thesis is new because it analyses not only compliance of article 179 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Lithuania with the ultima ratio principle, but also discusses the alternative sanctions that would lead to positive results, and this has not been discussed earlier. The qualitative statistical survey of legal practitioners was carried out in the course of research. The object of this graduation work is the concept and application of ultima ratio principle, analysis of composition of the criminal activity provided in article 179 of the Criminal Code and compliance of that article with the ultima ratio principle. The foreign regulation is also covered. The purpose of research is to determine concept of ultima ratio principle, its application in criminal law, and to analyse whether application of criminal liability for unlawful use of energy and communication services satisfies the requirements of the ultima ratio principle in criminal law. The hypothesis was raised in the research that article 179 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Lithuania does not satisfy requirements of the ultima ratio principle, because application of criminal liability is disproportionate with regard to this hazardousness of this activity, and the intended results may be achieved using remedies alternative to criminal law. The following objectives were set to achieve the goal of the work: 1. To determine concept of ultima ratio principle, its application in criminal law. 2. To disclose composition of the criminal activity provided in article 179 of the Criminal Code and criteria of its separation from civil law. 3. To analyse compliance of article 179 of the Criminal Code with the ultima ratio principle. 4. To analyse possibilities to achieve the goals of article 179 of the Criminal Code using alternative means. The research was carried out using the method of systemic analysis of scientific sources, methods of comparative analysis, case law and logical-linguistic analysis of legal acts. The work consists of three sections: The first section of the work is used to define ultima ratio principle and its application in criminal law. The ultima ratio principle is applied not only for creation, but also for application of criminal law, with regard to degree of hazardousness of the activity, proportionality and alternative sanctions that could be used to regulate infringed social relations. The second section analyses appearance of article 179 in criminal law and its composition, as well as hazardousness of unlawful use of energy and communication services. It was determined that article 179 was included into the Criminal Code only in 2002 in order to distinguish it in separate article rather than a specific sort of theft. The object of article 179 of the Criminal Code is ownership and other property rights, the subject is property, i.e. electric and thermal energy, gas, water, telecommunications and other items of economic value supplied through supply lines to the users for certain fee. General criteria of infringement of civil law and separation criteria of criminal activity were set. The criminal activities provided in article 179 of the Criminal Code and separation problems of violation of civil law were analysed. When the activity provided in article 179 of the Criminal Code is separated from violation of civil law, it is important to determine whether restoration of violated right is aggravated and whether restoration of rights and reimbursement of damage are possible using civil remedies. The alternative sanctions were analysed in the third section. The regulation and application possibilities of administrative responsibility were compared in the Baltic States and in Lithuania. With regard to the content of ultima ratio principle, the Latvian and Estonian legal regimes related to application of criminal liability for lawful use of energy and communication services were analysed. It was determined that Estonian regulation is not suitable for Lithuania. The Latvian model, i.e. application of criminal liability only for significant or big damage and application of administrative liability could be applied effectively in the legal regulation of the Republic of Lithuania, as well. The alternative sanctions were determined. Civil liability could be applied when the perpetrator is known and the victim’s possibilities to restore the violated rights are not aggravated. Administrative liability should be applied when the perpetrator is not known, but the caused damage does not reach 5 minimum living standards. Such legal regulation would adjust perfectly excessive criminalization and would safeguard application of ultima ratio principle. The conclusion is made in the graduation work that the hypothesis has been confirmed partially. Only the criminal liability for small damage provided in paragraph 3 of article 179 of the Criminal Code violates the ultima ratio principle. The results revealed that the goals of article 179 of the Criminal Code may be achieved not only by civil remedies, but also through application of administrative liability. If administrative liability as alternative remedy is to be applied, it is necessary to correct accordingly articles of the Code of Administrative Offences. As criminal liability for unlawful use of energy is imposed in Latvia only when damage is significant, it is possible to conclude that Latvia is of an opinion that the cases of small damage do not reach such a degree of hazardousness, from which criminal liability could be imposed. The proposals related to legal regulation and practical aspects are presented in the work: According to the results of the graduation work, it is suggested to decriminalize criminal liability for unlawful use of energy and communication services when small damage is caused; as well as to improve articles of the Code of Administrative Offences and to adjust them for imposition of administrative liability when damage up to 5 minimum living standards is caused. Key words: ultima ratio, hazardousness, unlawful use of energy and communication services, alternative sanctions.Teisės fakulteta