Dual citizenship: contrary to the interests of Lithuania?

The right to dual citizenship for all residents of Lithuania is contrary to the interests of Lithuania, believes Saulius Varnas, the representative of the Australian community of Lithuanians. According to Varnas, Lithuania is inhabited by many representatives of nations which were hostile to Lithuania in the past.

Last week, the 16th meeting of the Lithuanian World Community took place in Vilnius. The majority of Lithuanians living abroad support the idea of implementing the right to dual citizenship in Lithuania. Saulius Varnas is of a different opinion.

‘I’m opposed to dual citizenship that could be obtained by every resident of Lithuania, because it does not correspond to the interests of Lithuania. We (Lithuanians – ed.) have a lot of national minority communities living among us; they come from countries that were not always favorable to us.

The Lithuanian from Australia mentioned Poles and Russians among nations hostile to Lithuania. ‘We can see even now that Poland interferes in the internal affairs of Lithuania. In my opinion, the opposition to a better knowledge of the Lithuanian language among the local Poles is absolutely unfounded. I think that if the Lithuanian Poles are loyal citizens of Lithuania, they should know the state language well, it is in their best interest’, said Varnas. He added that some Lithuanian politicians of Polish origin induce artificial conflicts to capture the political capital.

Saulius Varnas has a triple citizenship: Lithuanian, Australian and Polish. But, as he emphasized in the interview with DELFI, he wants to give up his Polish citizenship.

Source: http://pl.delfi.lt/aktualia/litwa/podwojne-obywatelstwo-dla-wszystkich-jest-sprzeczne-z-interesem-litwy.d?id=59303897

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