Tomaszewski: The prior version of the Law on Ethnic Minorities will be readopted in March

The prior version of the Law on Ethnic Minorities which lapsed in 2010, will be readopted in March and will remain valid until the new one is passed – said the leader of Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania (EAPL) and the Member of European Parliament, Valdemar Tomaševski on the meeting of the political council the ruling coalition.

He reminded that a coalition agreement is what obliges to adoption of new text of the law on ethnic minorities.

Algirdas Butkevičius, Prime Minister of Lithuania, announced that he obliged Remigijus Motuzas, the vice-chief of the Seimas Office, to clarify the situation.

On the last day of winter session, on application of Andrius Kubilius who is the leader of the Conservatives, the Seimas crossed out the discussion on the Law on Ethnic Minorities from the order of the day.

The draft law registered by Jarosław Narkiewicz says that a language of a particular minority can be used in public institutions on the areas which are densely populated by the minority. What is more, the draft allows using bilingual street signs.

The draft has been repeatedly criticized by Dalia Grybauskaitė, the President, as well as by opposition parties.

Source: http://zw.lt/litwa/tomaszewski-poprzednia-wersja-ustawy-o-mniejszosciach-narodowych-bedzie-przywrocona-w-marcu/

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