Tomasz Poręba in EP: It’s time to end the discrimination of Poles in Lithuania.

During the debate summing up Lithuanian presidency in EU Tomasz Poręba referred to the recent instances of discrimination of Polish minority in Lithuania. “It is totally unnecessary and it destroys the perception of this beautiful country in Europe.” – said the MEP from PiS party.

Poręba reminded that on application of the representative of Lithuanian government severe fines were imposed for hanging Polish information signs on private properties. He also mentioned that Lithuania does not allow bilingual surnames. Moreover, Lithuanian parliament did not pass the resolution about national minorities, even though they constitute 16% of the county’s inhabitants.

“In Vilnius District Municipality Poles constitute over 60% of inhabitants, in Šalčininkai District Municipality around 80%. Regardless, the polish language is being eliminated from public space.” – said Poręba. “Thereby, Lithuania continues to disregard the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, which it ratified, and ignores the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, even though the European Parliament called on all the Member States to ratify this Charter in a resolution, at the beginning of Lithuanian presidency. – adds the MEP from PiS party.

Poręba pointed to a visible asymmetry in the treatment of Polish minority in Lithuania and the treatment of Lithuanian minority in Poland. The MEP emphasised that Lithuanians in Poland have all the legal rights and “function in the public space without restraint”. “I appeal to the President to stop this overt discrimination of Polish minority in Lithuania, which totally unnecessarily destroys the perception of this beautiful country in Europe.” – plead Poręba.

K. Ochman, ECR Group Press Officer, European Parliament

Source: http://l24.lt/pl/swiat/item/25276-tomasz-poreba-w-pe-dosc-dyskryminacji-polakow-na-litwie

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