"Preserving citizenship is not a very important issue for people who have recently left Lithuania (with the third wave)," Ingrida Gečienė, director of the Social Innovation Institute, said on Thursday presenting the findings at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
But, she said, dual citizenship remains an important issue for the rest of the Lithuanian diaspora in the world. "Surveyed diaspora experts expressed the wish for people leaving Lithuania and acquiring another country's citizenship to be able to retain Lithuanian citizenship as it would help to preserve a stronger emotional connection with Lithuania," one of the authors of the survey said.
The survey also includes a comparative analysis of expats' involvement policies in Ireland, Scotland, Greece, Portugal, Poland, Estonia, Latvia. Scientific and media publications and legal acts were also analyzed, and 12 diaspora experts were surveyed.
During the presentation, the survey was criticized for consulting only a small number of experts. It was said that a larger number of experts would reflect a wider spectrum of opinions.
Lack of action from the Lithuanian community, lack of Lithuania's attention for Lithuanians living abroad in terms of the dual citizenship issue, as well as too little information about Lithuania's various initiatives were mentioned among factors preventing the Lithuanian diaspora from getting involved in the life of their homeland.
"A negative public position towards those who left" was also an issue.
The survey authors recommend addressing all the above-mentioned shortcomings. One of their suggestions is providing full information and reducing opposition between those living in Lithuania and those who left. The need to make use of the Lithuanian expatriats' scientific, business and cultural experience, focus on the young and support for the diaspora's existing initiatives were also mentioned among other recommendations.
The authors also noted that Lithuanian diaspora is not homogeneous and, for example, Lithuanians in Spain and Belgium would respond to different measures of involvement.
The International Organization of Migration Vilnius announced last year that 337,000 people emigrated from Lithuania in 2001-2010.
