The coalition reaches an agreement on the original spelling of names and surnames on the main passport page

Members of the ruling coalition decided to accept the draft Law on Spelling of Names and Surnames stipulating that non-Lithuanian names will be spelled in their original form on the main passport page, using non-Lithuanian Latin-based characters. 

The bill was submitted by Social Democrats Irena Šiaulienė and Gediminas Kirkilas. 

“The coalition agreed to support the draft Law on Spelling of Names and Surnames prepared by Mr. Kirkilas and Ms. Šiaulienė,” said the leader of the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania (EAPL) Waldemar Tomaszewski after the meeting of the coalition. 

He believes that the coalition will support the bill during the first reading, set to occur in the current session; then the bill would be submitted to the principal Committee, and the consideration would occur during the autumn session. 

It was also promised during the current session that the 1991 version of Law on National Minorities would be adopted. 

“Until the new bill has been prepared, the old one will be in effect,” said W. Tomaszewski. 

The EAPL leader also revealed that the coalition partners agreed to discuss the subject of returning the expropriated land in their parties; after each of them prepare some suggestions, the coalition partners will vote on them.

Source: http://www.l24.lt/pl/polityka/item/34791-rzadzacy-porozumieli-sie-w-sprawie-oryginalnej-pisowni-nazwisk-na-podstawowej-stronie-dokumentu-tozsamosci

Tłumaczenie by Michał M. Kowalski w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Michał M. Kowalski within the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.