Over half of Lithuanians want compensation for Soviet occupation from Russia

According to a survey for BNS, 54 percent of Lithuanians answered positively to the question as to whether Lithuania should demand compensation for occupation.

41 percent said no, and 5 percent did not have an opinion.

Across age groups, the number of people in favor of compensation for Soviet occupation was higher than those against it. The majority of those against were from cities with 30,000-180,000 residents. 56.1 percent vs. 35.3 percent of those in favor.

Fairly equal numbers of people who believe Lithuania should demand compensation from Russia (47.7 percent) and those against (47.6) were in the age group of 55-64.

The survey of 1,012 people, aged 15-74, was carried out by public opinion and market research company RAIR on 30 May-10 June.

Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis has recently said he has raised the occupation issue with the Russian side six times during his ministerial term but the answer has always been negative. The minister also said then he believed time would come when Russia would apologize and stop denying occupation.

The Lithuanian government has recently set up a panel to prepare an action plan and negotiation position for the negotiations on the compensation of damage done by the Soviet occupation.

The Soviet Union occupied Lithuania in 1940 by sending over 150,000 troops of the Red Army into the country. In 1941-1944, Lithuania was under the rule of Nazi Germany, followed by the second Soviet occupation that lasted until 1990.

Some 444,000 Lithuanian residents repatriated or fled Lithuania in the 1940-1952 period, 275,000 were taken to labor camps or deported. About 25,000 people were killed in fighting, in addition to more than 20,000 participants and supporters of resistance efforts.