Lithuanian PM changes mind on dual citizenship referendum

Lithuanian Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius and his ruling social democrat party's members on Thursday dropped the idea of holding a referendum on dual citizenship.

Just a week ago, the party's council agreed on the plan to propose to the Seimas, the Lithuanian parliament, to hold a referendum on dual citizenship.

On Thursday, Butkevicius said he disagrees with the idea of holding the referendum.

"We've received many letters and proposals from Lithuanians living abroad that such referendum shouldn't be organized," Butkevicius told journalists on Thursday.

During a referendum, constitutional changes can be implemented only if approved by more than half of the voters.

"In case the referendum fails, it wouldn't be possible to implement other legislation," said the head of the cabinet.

He added that dual citizenship has to be established by changing the law, not holding a referendum.

However, legal experts say dual citizenship can only be adopted by changing the constitution which requires holding a referendum.

"The article which stipulates constitutional relations is in the section which can only be changed by holding a referendum," former judge of the constitutional court Vytautas Sinkevicius told BNS news agency.

Lithuanian communities living abroad have been urging the country to adopt dual citizenship, if possible, without holding a referendum.

Lithuania's Constitutional Court has explained that dual citizenship is possible only as a rare exception.

Under Lithuania's current legislation, dual citizenship is allowed only for those who left the country during the soviet time and their descendants, but not for those who acquired foreign citizenship after the independence of the country in 1990. Endit