Lithuania’s Ministry of the Interior has stripped two more Lithuanians of their citizenship based on information from special services that they may be offering military services in the Kremlin.
Minister of the Interior of Lithuania, Agnė Bilotaitė, has decided to revoke citizenship from Vitalijus Kazakevičius (born in 1984) and Juozas Samuolis (born in 1978), Schengen.News reports.
According to a report from LRT News, the decision came following reports they may be fighting in the Russian army amid Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
The Migration Department received information from the country’s special services that both individuals are possibly serving on the side of the forces of the Russian Federation and fighting against Ukraine.
the migration body’s spokesman, Rokas Pukinskas
Under Article 24(4) of Lithuania’s Law on Citizenship, “Loss of Citizenship”, the citizenship of Lithuania can be lost “if a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania is in the service of another state without authorisation of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania”.
In the General provisions of Lithuania’s Law on Citizenship, the service of another state also includes military service and any other statutory service.
New Amendments to Citizenship Law to Enhance National Security
Last month, the Minister of the Interior and Member of Parliament, Agnė Bilotaitė, along with other members of the Lithuanian parliament, proposed amendments to the Citizenship Law for consideration that would enhance the country’s security.
If approved, the amendments would ban persons who pose a threat to Lithuania’s security from acquiring or restoring Lithuanian citizenship. Furthermore, the new changes would widen the criteria in terms of the loss of citizenship.
Our goal is to ensure the security of the Lithuanian state and effectively manage the processes of citizenship acquisition and loss, considering the complex geopolitical situation and our national interests. These legal changes will ensure that individuals who support aggressive states or pose a threat to our country’s security cannot become citizens of the Republic of Lithuania.
Lithuania’s Minister of the Interior, Agnė Bilotaitė
The proposed amendments to the Citizenship Law include revocation of Lithuanian citizenship from those who hold dual citizenship if they pose a threat to the security of Lithuania.
As part of the new changes, if approved, Lithuanian citizenship could also be revoked from persons who support a foreign country that threatens the national security interests or interests of other EU States and their allies.
Lithuanian citizenship could also be lost if persons participate in actions by countries that violate international law principles and norms.
As emphasised by the Ministry of the Interior of Lithuania, at present, Lithuanian citizenship can be revoked on such grounds only if the person obtained citizenship through exceptional means, for example, if citizenship was granted by the President of Lithuania under extraordinary merits to the country.