Dual citizenship is dangerous for the country – it has been suggested that only Lithuanian emigrants should get it

The Commission of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania and Lithuanian World Community, which held meetings from last Tuesday, has finished its work in the Lithuanian Parliament. During the meetings the development of civil spirit and nationality in Lithuania and abroad, Lithuanian citizenship, business development, and other issues were examined.

Representatives of emigrants have decided not to organize a referendum regarding dual citizenship, and instead to establish a joint commission to address these problems. Presently in Lithuania dual citizenship is allowed for those who left Lithuania before the restoration of independence, but new generation emigrants cannot acquire it.

Regina Narušienė, a representative of the Lithuanian World Community (LWC) and its former leader, claims that in order to expand the possibilities of having dual citizenship, there is no need to change the Constitution—it is enough to change the Citizenship Law.

During a meeting of the Commission of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania and Lithuanian World Community, Ms. Narušienė explained that only a few cases need to be added to the current Citizenship Law.

According to her, the LWC has proposed that people who had Lithuanian citizenship until the 15th of June of 1940, their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren would be able to retain Lithuanian citizenship regardless of their place of residence and the acquisition of citizenship of another state.

It has also been suggested that people who left Lithuania after the restoration of independence and acquired citizenship of another state would be able to keep Lithuanian citizenship if they informed the Ministry of the Interior that they took the citizenship of another state but wanted to preserve Lithuanian citizenship, signed an oath to Lithuania and showed their connection to Lithuania.

Law professor Vytautas Sinkevičius has noted in the past that a broad dual citizenship may be dangerous to the country because if it is allowed in the future, a large part of the electorate may be bound to another country, and in addition, there might be problems related with the integrity of the state in case of aggression.

News from Žinių radijas (Eng. News Radio), ekspertai.eu