Dual citizenship supported by Adamkus

VILNIUS- Lithuanian PresidentValdas Adamkus has stated that he would be in favor of holding areferendum on dual citizenship and plans to authorize the parliamentto consider in its spring session a new edition of the CitizenshipLaw, as drafted by his appointed task force.

"Thepresident requested the Seimas Board to review the new draftCitizenship Law so as to vouchsafe a more clear and consistent legalregulation of citizenship, expand and better define cases when aLithuanian citizen can simultaneously become that of another state.The president would back the Seimas should it decide to hold areferendum and change Article 12 of the Constitution, thuslegitimizing dual citizenship for all applicants", Grumadaitespoke.

Legalexperts have presented the president with a draft Citizenship Lawdrawn up by his appointed task force. The bill provisions a move tointroduce and regulate a Lithuanian Charter document by Sept 30 anddraft respective acts of law.

"Iwould like to remind that the new draft bill provisions that allLithuanian citizens, who were exiled from Lithuania or left thecountry on their own will from 1919 to March 11 of 1990, as well as afew generations of their progeny get to retain Lithuaniancitizenship. Persons, who for various reasons left Lithuania afterMarch 11 of 1990 and chose to become citizens of another state,automatically lose their Lithuanian citizenship. However, theirchildren, born abroad, retain the right to dual citizenship, i.e.that of Lithuania and another country", Grumadaite explained.

Membersof the Seimas Board are currently not unanimous on dual citizenshipprospects.