Linguistic rights of Poles in Lithuania

This year relationships Polish – Lithuania, which were strained and complicated provoked many reactions worldwide. Some people just comment on this situation, others are organizing protest actions. There are also such people who are trying to draw attention directly to the European Parliament in Lithuania on the existing problems of national minorities.  An example of this last attitude may be the action assistant of Substantive Criminal Law Department and the Executive and Judicial Psychiatry University of Gdansk, Thomas Snarski. 

Thanks given by Thomas Snarski on 31 March 2011 petition called “Linguistic Rights of Poles inLithuania”, The European Parliament took the issue of language rights of minorities to consider. This will be the subject of the work of The Committee on Petitions of the European Parliament.

In this petition Tomas Snarski asked to take all possible steps laws for The European Parliament, that are aimed at guaranteeing the Polish minority in Lithuania basic human rights. In this so-called linguistic rights of minorities. In the opinion of Snarski, the current situation is different from the standards of the European system of human rights protection. Snarski noted that directs desire to ensure that only the whole space in the EU, for all its citizens equal rights. Also brought about a possible take the appropriate resolution.

On April 18, Tomas Snarski received information from the Secretariat of the EP that will be dealt with first, the admissibility of the petition. Indeed, the EU Member States are obliged to respect human rights and this area remains in the range of EU activities. However, these issues remain contentious and very delicate. For example, it was evident in a recent EU Court of Justice ruling, concerning the Margaret Wardynow and Lukas Wardynow.

July 19^th Erminia Mazzoni, President of the EP Petitions Committee, announced that the Petitions Committee considered the petition and concluded that it raises testify to its admissibility, and the subject of the petition falls within the scope of activities of The European Union. Mazzoni also stated that the Commission started to explore the petition and decided to ask the European Commission to conduct a preliminary study of various aspects of the problem.

“The European Parliament at my request, as an ordinary citizen, will examine the linguistic rights of the Polish minority inLithuania, and there’s much to be done. Even in terms of legislation in favor of minorities. I trust that the information given above arouse your interest. Perhaps, the people who directly experienced discrimination, they want to write to The European Parliament, joining the petition. Petition received a number 0358/2011” – said “Wilnoteka” Thomas Snarski.

On the basis of: its own informations

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

Korekta Małgorzata Juchniewicz w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu