Parliament is considering ways to loosen up Lithuania's strict citizenship laws that do not allow for dual citizenship - something that has become a problem as many Lithuanians resettle in other countries and lose their Lithuanian passport once they become naturalized citizens of the host country. As the provision is in the Constitution, a referendum is required to change the law.
The MPs suggest holding a referendum on a draft constitutional amendment stating that "no one may be a citizen of both the Republic of Lithuania and another state at the same time, except for a Lithuanian citizen by birth who emigrated to a member state of the European Union or a member country of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, as well as other individual cases provided for by law."
The lawmakers believe that such a formulation would prevent potential threats as "massive legalization of dual citizenship in Lithuania, based on international law, would cause problems of formation of state government, free from the impact of other countries, as well as national security problems."
The Seimas is currently considering to hold a referendum on dual citizenship alongside presidential elections in 2014.
