Language Research

The Constitution, adopted on October 25, 1992

Law on Ethnic Minorities from November 23, 1989

Law on the State Language from January 31, 1995

According to the Law on National Minorities, 1989 in offices and organizations located in areas densely populated by any minority with a different language from the official language, the minority language may be used in addition to the Lithuanian language.

The use of the native language by persons belonging to national minorities or foreigners in their contacts with administrative authorities and public services throughout the county is neither regulated nor in any way restricted by any national legislation.

Updated (June 2002)

The Minorities Law guarantees all ethnic minorities residing in Lithuania the right to freely develop their identity and this right is really enjoyed in practice. When obtaining a passport, every citizen of Lithuania is free to identify his/her ethnicity ("tautybe") based on his/her parents. Roma, along with 17 other minorities, are granted official representation in the governmental Council of National Communities.

The Minorities Law makes provision for the use of minority languages in the private and public spheres, but in practice Roma are not allowed to use their language in communication with public authorities.

According to the 1989 Minorities Law, minority languages may be used in addition to Lithuanian in "offices and organizations located in the areas inhabited by a substantial number of minority with a different language." The law further permits street signs to be posted in minority languages in areas where minorities are numerous.

In practice, Roma cannot use the Romani language in the public sphere. According to the Integration Program, most of the Lithuanian Roma speak the Russian language but in fact, almost all Lithuanian Roma speak the Romani languages, and many Vilnius Roma speak Russian as a second language. In other parts of Lithuania, the second language is Lithuanian. As officials do not speak the Romani language, in practice only the Roma who speak Russian can benefit from the assistance of official translators and interpreters. For those who speak neither Russian nor Lithuanian, an interpreter has to be found within the community to assist in communications with public officials.

Judicial proceedings must be conducted in the state language. Persons who do not know the state language are formally provided with an interpreter free of charge. The Criminal Procedure Code stipulates that each person has the right to be informed promptly, in a language he or she understands, of the reasons for arrest and the nature and cause of any accusation. A detainee has the right to defend himself in this language, with the free assistance of an interpreter if necessary. Roma are disadvantaged at courts, as Romani language interpreters do not exist.

EDUCATION

Minorities in Lithuania enjoy the legal right to state supported schooling in their native language. However, as yet there have been no governmental efforts to provide Romani language education or to infuse mainstream education with lessons on Roma history and culture.

The Minorities Law guarantees minority groups the rights to obtain aid from the state; to develop culture and education; to have schooling in their native language, with provision for pre-school education, elementary and secondary education, as well as provision for groups, faculties and departments at institutions of higher learning to train teachers and other specialists" (Article 2). The Law on Education also provides protection for "compact" minority communities. Although the requisite size and concentration for a compact community is not specified in the law, the state will either establish or support existing pre-schools and schools or classes of general education in minority languages and culture.

The Polish and Russian minorities both benefit from the existence of state funded schools where they can study in their mother tongues. However, even in these educational institutions, the Lithuanian language and literature must be taught in Lithuanian. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, there are no schools with the Romani language of instructions.

MEDIA

The Minorities Law guarantees the right "to have newspapers and other publications and information in one's native language" (Article 2). There are no Romani owned or Romani language newspapers, television, or radio programs in Lithuania at present, and to date the government has provided no financial support for Romani language media.

CITIZENSHIP

The 1989 Law on Citizenship set no special requirements to acquire the citizenship. Permanent residents of the country could obtain citizenship irrespective of nationality, length of residence in the country, or knowledge of the state language. Consequently, the great majority of residents, including more than 90 percent of all national minorities, received citizenship following independence. A more stringent Citizenship Law was introduced in 1991, according to which applicants for naturalization must have ten years residence in the country, permanent employment (or other legal source of support), and must pass an exam testing knowledge of the Lithuanian language and provisions of the Constitution.

Allegedly, a number of Roma failed to apply for citizenship before 1991, and, unable to meet the more stringent post 1991 standards, they have remained without citizenship.

PROGRAM FOR THE INTEGRATION OF ROMA INTO LITHUANIAN SOCIETY 2000 - 2004

On July 1 2000, the Prime Minister signed a government resolution on the Program for the Integration of Roma into Lithuanian Society 2000 - 2004, which aims to encourage the integration while protecting and promoting the development of Romani cultural identity. The Minorities Department has been asked to coordinate the Program's implementation. The Program outlines problematic areas for the Roma community, including education, health, migration, and the "hostile attitude" of non-Roma, and identifies state budgetary allocations for a number of activities to address these issues in the Kirtimai neighborhood in an initial phase (2001 - 2004).

Lithuania's most prominent Romani leaders jointly objected to the fact that the Program was developed without their participation, pointing out that representatives of Roma NGOs found out about the existence of the Program only after its approval by the Government in July, 2000. According to them, the result is that the Integration Program does not reflect the interests, concerns or perspectives of the Lithuanian Roma community.

Source: http://www.eumap.org/reports/content/10/440/minority_lithuania.pdf, The EU Accession Monitoring Program Report on Minority Protection, Open Society Institute 2001 on

http://www.eumap.org/reports/content/10

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Updated (September 2002)

The Law on the Enforcement of the Law on the Official Language adopted on February 7, 1995, established de jure the current status of the Lithuanian language.

The Program for the Use and Promotion of the Official Language, adopted by the Government on December 4, 1995 marked the beginning of de facto stage of the status of the language.

The Law on the Status of State Commission of the Lithuanian Language (March 25, 1993)

The main fields of activity of this Commission are:

• Legal and administrative protection of the official language (OL)

  To draft legislation guaranteeing the correct use of the OL; to harmonize legislation regulating the status of the OL and other language rules with corresponding documents of the European Union; to formulate and finance programs for teaching non-Lithuanians the OL or improving their skills; etc.

• Language standardization

  Collection, investigation and generalization of non-standard language facts; approval of standard technical terms and bilingual dictionaries of technical terms; standardization of place names

• Language teaching and improvement of language skills

  To finance and coordinate language-teaching programs at schools of higher education and vocational schools; to support language courses for non-Lithuanian speakers; language consultations for institutions and individuals; language education through the mass media

• To control the implementation of the Law on the OL and other legislation regulating the use of the OL

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Updated (August 2005)

CITIZENSHIP

According to the 2001 Census, 99 percent of the people living in Lithuania are Lithuanian citizens. The 1989 Law on Citizenship suggested the so-called "zero option", which granted Lithuanian citizenship to any non-Lithuanian, irrespective of the duration of his/her stay in the country. As a consequence the majority of the population (including 90 percent of different nationalities) became Lithuanian citizens.

Article 15

Conditions for Obtaining Citizenship of the Lithuanian SSR

A person, upon his or her request, may be granted citizenship of the Lithuanian SSR, provided he or she agrees to take the oath to the Republic and meets the following conditions of citizenship: (1) knows the Lithuanian language; (...) (4) knows the basic provisions of the Constitution of the Lithuanian SSR; (...).'

In 1991, after obtaining independence, the Law on Citizenship was tightened. From 1991 onwards applicants for naturalization must pass an exam testing their knowledge of the Lithuanian language and the Lithuanian Constitution:

Article 12

Conditions for Granting Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania

A person, upon his or her request, may be granted citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania, provided he or she agrees to take the oath to the Republic and meets the following conditions of citizenship: (1) has passed the examination on the Lithuanian language (can speak and read Lithuanian); (...) (4) has passed the examination on the basic provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania; (...).

In 1996, the Law on Citizenship was amended again:

The procedure for issuing examination certificates on the fundamentals of the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania and the Lithuanian language shall be established by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.

Over the past decade, an effective system for State language acquisition and testing (including certification), backed by the 1992 Seimas legislation, has been introduced. In 1993, the Government passed the resolution that the first (the lowest one among the three) qualifying category is needed in order to acquire citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania.

LANGUAGE AND MINORITY POLICY

The rights of minorities are elaborated in the 1989 Law on National Minorities (amended in 1991). Article 1 of the Law states that the national minorities in Lithuania have the right to foster their language and are guaranteed that their language shall be respected.

Article 2 guarantees national minorities the right to express freely their thoughts and to receive information in their mother tongue (this is related to the possibility for minorities to have mass media in their mother tongue).

According to Article 4, the language of a national minority (local language) shall be used in local bodies and organizations alongside the official language in those administrative-territorial units where minority population is compact.

Article 5 defines that informational signs in the administrative-territorial units referred to in Article 4, in addition to the Lithuanian language, may also be in the language of national minority; however, a format of these signs must not be larger than that one in the state language (Art. 18).

The 1995 Law on the State Language specifies the status of the Lithuanian language in public life (in state institutions, courts, official events, education and culture and on signs and information). This Law guarantees every Lithuanian citizen the right to use his/her national language publicly.

The Law on Consumer Protection was amended on May 22, 2003. Article 5 (Provision and Consumer Information) urges all owners of offices, buildings and other places to use Lithuanian on their signboards (apart from English, or other languages occasionally).

The consumer shall be entitled to obtain comprehensive and true information in the state language as to the acquisition of goods and services terms, their quality, directions for use, warranties and exchange period, the procedure for the termination of the purchase of goods (services) contract, as well as other relevant information that has significance for the consumer. The provision of such information to the consumer and its truthfulness shall be the responsibility of the seller (service supplier). If the consumer was not provided with relevant information or if it was fraudulent and by reason thereof the goods or services were not fit for their intended use, he shall be entitled to terminate the contract and to request reimbursement for losses.

As far as radio and television broadcasting is concerned the principles to be followed are laid down in the 1996 Law on National Radio and Television. Article 4 of this law stipulates that the national broadcaster must ensure a variety of topics and genres in its programs and orient them towards the various strata of society and people of different ages, various nationalities and convictions. Lithuanian authorities make an effort to increase the number of programs for national minorities on radio and television so as to present more material and information on ethnic, linguistic, religious and other groups living in Lithuania.

Article 11 Language in which Public Information shall be presented

Public information shall be presented and disseminated in the state language or some other language pursuant to the provisions of the Law on State Language.

The status of the Lithuanian language is monitored by the Lithuanian State Language Commission and the State Language Inspectorate. National minorities receive support from a number of institutions, first of all from the Department of National Minorities and from Lithuanians living abroad. This department formulates and puts into practice public policy of national and ethnic harmony. The Department maintains a House of National Communities in Vilnius in which minority groups can organize cultural, social and educational activities.

In May 2003, the Seimas approved the 2003/2008 State Language Policy Guidelines. The Lithuanian State Language Commission was put in charge of setting up the project. One of its tasks is to foster the Lithuanian language and promote the modern development of its internal resources.

The Guidelines pay special attention to the increasing occurrence of Anglicisms; however, they do not address the issue whether or how the English loan words in use should be reduced.

English is considered to be the most important medium on material and intellectual markets of the world. Its role in Lithuania's economic, social, and cultural life is increasing. Since English is inevitable for starting up the business, finding a job or engaging in creative work, the motivation to learn it is growing, whereas at the same time the prestige of the Lithuanian language is diminishing in those areas.

In 2000, a special Program for the Replacement of Loan Words by their Lithuanian Equivalents (2001-2010) was approved by the Lithuanian Government.

EDUCATION

The Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania guarantees national minorities the right to have lessons in their mother tongue. Article 2 of the Law on National Minorities (1989, amended in 1991) also gives people the right to have schooling in their own language.

The main provisions describing the position of schools for national minorities in the Lithuanian educational system are the Provisions for Integrating Schools for National Minorities into the Educational System of the Republic of Lithuania, i.e. Decision No. 76 of December 22, 1992 of the Collegium of the Ministry of Culture and Education.

Actually, education of national minorities is talked through in the Law on the Amendments to the Law on Education of the Republic of Lithuania (2003).

Article 28 (7)

In localities where a national minority traditionally constitutes a substantial part of the population, upon that community's request, the municipality assures the possibility of learning in the language of the national minority.

(...)

Article 30

The Right to Study in the State Language and in the Mother Tongue

1. Instruction in the Lithuanian state language and study of the Lithuanian state language is guaranteed to all citizens of the Republic of Lithuania and aliens having a permanent or provisional residence permit in the Republic of Lithuania.

2. At those general education and non-formal education schools, the by-laws of which (respecting the requests of parents and learners) provide for teaching in a language of an ethnic minority and fostering of the ethnic minority's culture, the teaching process is conducted or certain subjects are taught in the language of the ethnic minority. The subject of the Lithuanian State language is a constituent part of the curriculum at such schools.

In such schools:

1) the primary and basic curricula are implemented in the language of the ethnic minority, while selected curriculum subjects may be taught in the Lithuanian State language, upon the parents' (foster parents', guardians') request;

2) the secondary curriculum is implemented in the language of the ethnic minority. Curriculum subjects selected by the learners may be taught in the Lithuanian state language;

3) State-run and municipal pre-schools and general education schools provide opportunities for learners who belong to ethnic minorities to have supplementary study of their mother tongue; this is subject to the existence of a real need and the availability of a specialist of that language and if the teaching process is organized in another language.

3. A person who belongs to an ethnic minority may study his mother tongue at school that implements non-formal education programs or with another education provider.

4. The children of persons who have the right to reside permanently or provisionally in the Republic of Lithuania are granted the possibility to study the Lithuanian State language, to receive education in the Lithuanian State language and (when possible) to study their mother tongue.

5. All schools that provide general education must ensure mastery of the Lithuanian State language, meeting a standard prescribed by the Ministry of Education and Science.

The Seimas' legislation, entitled "the 1996-2005 Program for the Use and Development of the State Language and its Implementation", has concentrated on education and language acquisition planning. This Program finances teaching of a so-called language culture discipline that refers to language ecology. The language culture courses last one or two semesters and are compulsory for young people in all types of universities and colleges. The norms taught in these classes are also extended to persons working in the state administration and the media.

Source: Mercator, Working Papers No. 19, Language Policy and the Sociolinguistic Situation in Lithuania, by Prof. Laima Grumadiene from the Institute of Lithuanian Language, 2005, http://www.ciemen.org/mercator/index-gb.htm

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