Deliberations in the Seimas on spelling surnames have been adjourned

The Seimas has adjourned deliberations on a bill allowing to spell surnames in their original form because an alternative bill, submitted by Conservative politics, has not been included in the agenda.

Valentinas Stundys, the initiator of the alternative project, which allows an original spelling of surnames on further pages of passports, requested the chair of the Seimas to adjourn the discussion because otherwise the statute of the Seimas will be breached.

“The alternative bill exists and both bills were accepted by the Seimas in the first reading. The Seimas should also reach a final decision concerning the alternative bill but, unfortunately, it has not been included in the agenda. I urge the Seimas not to make such a mistake (…) The alternative bill and the statute of the Seiams cannot be ignored”, says the Conservative politician.

After analysis of the statute, Loreta Graužinienė has decided that the deliberations on the bill liberalising the spelling of surnames in the official documents will be adjourned.

The Seimas Committee of Order and Justice (Sejmowy Komitet Prawa i Praworządności) proposes to allow Lithuanian citizens to spell their surnames using non-Lithuanian letters of Latin alphabet in identity documents if their surnames are spelled in that way in the source document.

The Commission of the Lithuanian Language (Komisja Języka Litewskiego) states that letters q, w, x could be used only in Lithuanian citizens’ surnames who married a foreigner or in foreigners’ surnames if they have Lithuanian citizenship.

On Monday the Political Council of the Ruling Coalition (Rada polityczna koalicji rządzącej) approved the idea of spelling names and surnames in their original form in official document.