Exactly one month before May 12. of the upcoming referendum on the preservation of citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania (LR), the public information campaign “Let’s Round Lithuania” is in full swing, which invites us to agree on an important issue and express a citizen’s opinion on the future of Lithuania: Lithuania will be a state of two or three million citizens, bigger or smaller.
“Everyone’s vote in the referendum on the preservation of citizenship can be decisive. Using the metaphor of rounding, we aim to visually convey the question of whether we want more or fewer Lithuanian citizens, larger or smaller demographic indicators, stronger or weaker ties with Lithuanians spread across the globe. At the same time, with this rounding action, we invite you to finally resolve this issue characterized by sharp corners, which does not give peace to the public, that is, we call on everyone to come to an agreement by means of a referendum”, – Commenting on the idea of the campaign, Marius Gurskas, head of the Government Communication Department of the Government Chancellery, says.
The upcoming referendum is not only a question of foreign Lithuanians, it solves a long-standing problem. Lithuanians who left after 1990 March 11 and after acquiring the citizenship of another state, they lose the citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania acquired by birth. This is how Lithuania loses about 1,000 of its citizens every year. Lithuania is one of the few European Union (EU) member states that do not allow retention of citizenship (22 out of 27 EU member states allow it).
During the referendum, we will all have to answer the question of whether the citizens of the Republic of Lithuania could retain the citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania acquired at birth, if they also acquire the citizenship of another state friendly to Lithuania (a state belonging to the NATO, EU, OECD and EEA organizations).
in 2023 December. according to the data of the conducted sociological survey, 3 out of 4 (or 76%) respondents said that it is important to preserve the citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania acquired at birth after acquiring the citizenship of another state friendly to Lithuania, and 60% respondents expressed their intention to participate in the referendum.
in 2023 October-November in the first stage of the public information campaign, traditional and digital communication channels informed about the upcoming referendum and its significance.
The second phase of public awareness started in 2024. at the end of March and will last until May 12. A wide range of means are used to inform the public: television channels, radio stations, portals, press, social networks, regional and local television and newspapers, outdoor advertising. Municipalities, townships, ministries, non-governmental and business organizations (IKI, MAXIMA), State Tax Inspectorate, Sodra, Employment Service, AB Lietuvos oro uostai, AB Lietuvos Geležinkeliai, etc. were actively involved.
The referendum would be considered to have taken place if more than half of Lithuanian citizens with the right to vote (living in Lithuania and abroad) participated in it. The decision would be considered adopted if the referendum took place and more than half of the people participating in the referendum voted for the question, that is, about 1.2 million. voters would vote for.
More information about the referendum can be found here www.referendumas2024.lt.
Link to YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiQSMLPFSSw
Press release
#agreement #month #left #referendum #preservation #citizenship
– 2024-04-15 12:39:50
