By a court decision, information boards in Polish and Lithuanian are permitted in the Šalčininkai district

The Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania (LVAT) has ruled that information boards with inscriptions in two languages ​​are permissible where there is a need to inform both local residents and foreign visitors. The court found that boards where the Polish text is neither more detailed nor larger than the Lithuanian version meet legal requirements.

On Wednesday, the court overturned an order from the State Language Inspectorate that required information boards in the city of Šalčininkai to feature inscriptions solely in the state language. According to the LVAT, foreign language inscriptions may be used in public spaces for international communication purposes, such as in transportation or public places, if justified by informational needs. This exception is also provided for in a resolution of the Commission of the Lithuanian Language (VLKK) regulating public signage.

An extended chamber of judges considered the case of signs with inscriptions in two languages, which are located in the center of Šalčininkai. It was established that the signs referred to important public facilities, such as a hospital, bus station, district office, cultural centre, high school and city park.

The Šalčininkai municipality explained that there is only one such board, which is placed in the town center. The text in Polish, one of the official languages of the EU, is neither more detailed nor larger than the Lithuanian text and is positioned below the inscriptions in the state language.

Meanwhile, the Language Inspectorate argued that the regulations clearly require that all public signs be in the state language only, and the case in question does not fall within the statutory exception concerning the names of national minority organisations and the information boards placed by them.

The court concluded that factors such as the location, presentation, number, function, and the facilities indicated by the inscriptions, as well as the status of the foreign language, justify treating this case as falling under the exception permitting foreign language inscriptions alongside the state language for the purpose of international communication in transportation.