Prime Minister of Lithuania pleased with the proactive approach of national minorities

On Thursday, Prime Minister of Lithuania Algirdas Butkevičius met with members of the House of National Communities.

“I am pleased that the Government has approved and from 1 July this year, the activities of the Department of National Minorities start. He will be responsible for the formulation and realization of ethnic politics, projects. I have no doubt that this will contribute to our decision to meet the interests and needs of national communities, preservation of national identify”- said the prime minister, adding that the department will assist the representatives of national communities participate extensively in the social, political and cultural state, strengthen citizenship, spread tolerance, combat incitement to ethnic feuds.

The head of the Lithuanian Government welcomed the fact that the representatives of national minorities are very active and they actively participate in solving the current problems for them.

At the meeting, stressed that Lithuania needs of the Law on National Minorities. At the meeting came the promise to return to work on this piece of legislation during the spring session of the Lithuanian Parliament.

Census conducted in 2011 showed that 154 representatives of Lithuania inhabit nationalities, Lithuanians constituted 84.2% of the population, ethnic minorities – 15.8%. The largest ethnic minority in Lithuania are Poles.