The Seimas is against bilingual plates

Today at the second reading the Seimas adopted a Law on National Minorities, having previously removed guidelines concerning bilingual plates.

The Seimas accepted the amendment proposed by a Conservative Valentinas Stundys and a group of Semais members. The amendment provides that using bilingual plates would be permitted only for registered names of communities and national minorities’ organizations. 74 Seimas members voted for the amendment, 9 were against, 8 abstained.

The Seimas accepted also proposals of the Parliamentarians according to which in settlements inhabited in substantial numbers by persons belonging to national minorities, the representatives of these minorities could address institutions and organizations in their native language and the institutions should guarantee keeping the documentation also in the official language. 75 Seimas members voted in favour of the proposal, 10 were against, 9 abstained.

Representatives of the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania and some Seimas members from the Labour Party (Darbo Partija, DP) did not support both amendments.

However, in the final vote the Seimas members from AWPL voted for adoption of the project at the second reading. Overall, 82 Seimas Members voted in favour, 7 were against, 11 abstained.