Lithuanian World Community

Lithuania cannot lower the minimum turnout threshold for a referendum on dual citizenship, but it can rally politicians and the public to ensure that such a plebiscite takes place, the chief advisor to President Dalia Grybauskaitė said on Tuesday.

The Lithuanian government has heard the voice of the communities living abroad and has reversed its decision to scrap the Commission for Coordination of Affairs of Lithuanians Living Abroad.

Lithuania's Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius has proposed considering fewer requirements for the referendum on dual citizenship.

Lithuanian expat communities suggest solving the dilemma of dual citizenship by allowing persons to preserve their Lithuanian citizenship acquired by birth upon the request.

Dual citizenship can only be allowed by way of changing the Constitution, says Dainius Žalimas, chairman of the Lithuanian Constitutional Court, adding that amending the Citizenship Law will not be enough.

Lithuania's parliament will seek ways of allowing citizens living abroad to preserve their Lithuanian citizenship without referendum, says Parliamentary Speaker Viktoras Pranckietis.

Many emigrants hope to return to Lithuania and dual citizenship and tax-incentives for starting a business would encourage them to do so, Dalia Henke, chairwoman of the Lithuanian World Community, said on Friday.

A joint commission between the Seimas and the Lithuanian World Community (LWC) will continue its work in the new parliament, the daily Lietuvos Žinios reported on Tuesday.

The Lithuanian World Community (PLB) has stressed that the votes (or lack of) of the many Lithuanian expatriates could decide up to half of the Seimas’ composition. A PLB announcement urges expatriates to actively register for voting and vote responsibly with the registration deadline tomorrow.

Lithuania must develop a programme to encourage expatriates to return home, Parliament Speaker Loreta Graužinienė believes.

During her meeting on Tuesday with representatives of the Lithuanian World Community, Seimas Speaker Loreta Graužinienė noted that, in her opinion, Lithuania's election system should be changed by 2020, while the first ones to try out e-voting should be Lithuanians residing abroad.

A long time has passed since the creation of the Lithuanian World Community (PLB, Pasaulio lietuviu bendruomenė) and the Lithuanian-American Community (JAV lietuvių bendruomenė). The World Lithuanian-American Community definitely served a tremendous purpose when it was formed. Its charter is a worth...

Lithuanians living abroad support the proposal to introduce the Lithuanian Card, aimed at strengthening ties between expatriates and their home country, but still see dual citizenship as their ultimate goal, the daily Lietuvos Žinios reports.

Dalia Henke, the new leader of the Lithuanian World Community (PLB), says that expatriate Lithuanians agree to the planned referendum on dual citizenship only on three conditions.

Dalia Henke from Germany, who has been elected the new board chairman of the Lithuanian World Community, believes Lithuania should not rush to hold a referendum on dual citizenship, pointing to a lack of agreement on the issue among political parties.

The 15th Seimas of the Lithuanian World Community will convene in Vilnius on 15-17 July.

Last week, the Commission of the Seimas and the Lithuanian World Community held sittings and adopted a resolution urging the Seimas, parliament, not to approve a referendum on dual citizenship.

Lithuanian communities abroad view the parliament's initiative to hold a referendum on dual citizenship in 2016 as "politicizing", saying the odds are low for the referendum to be successful under the current requirements.