Rokas Žilinskas

Rokas Žilinskas MP


Member of the Seimas
Incumbent
Assumed office 17 November 2008
Personal details
Born	(1972-07-20) 20 July 1972 Vilnius, Soviet Union (now Lithuania)
Political party	National Resurrection Party (2008 - 2011) Christian Party (Lithuania) (2011 - 2011) Homeland Union (2011 - present )
Alma mater	University of Vilnius

Rokas Žilinskas (born on 20 July 1972 in Vilnius, Lithuania) is a Lithuanian journalist and politician. He was elected to Seimas in 2008 and has been a member of Lithuanian Parliament since then.

Žilinskas was born in a swimming coach and kindergarten teacher's family. While at school Rokas became interested in geography, later politology and politics. Before being elected to the Lithuanian Parliament Žilinskas was a well-known Lithuanian news announcer.

In 2009, one year after the Parliament elections, Žilinskas openly declared that he is gay, hence becoming the first elected LGBT politician in Lithuania. He, however, expressed disapproval for the equal rights for gays, such as gay marriages and gay adoption,^[1] but unexpectedly decided to participate in the first homosexual parade in Vilnius,^[2] despite being against for a long time.^[3]

Žilinskas damaged his public image after he cursed at policemen when he was under influence of alcohol.^[4] In 2011, Žilinskas was expelled from the Christian Party, after he was noticed allegedly being drunk in Seimas.^[5]

In 2012, he became a member of the conservative Homeland Union^[6] and was re-elected to Seimas.

In popular culture

Rokas Žilinskas was presented in a British documentary film Starsuckers where he was interviewed.
Žilinskas was a subject of parody by a Lithuanian humorist Justinas Jankevičius who parodied Žilinskas' TV-announcer-like way of speaking.

References

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