In pursuit of dual citizenship for lithuanian emigrants: causes and effects of its resentment
LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Dviguba pilietybė; Užsienio lietuviai; Emigrantai (Diaspora); Emigracija; Lietuvybė; Konstitucija; Konstituciniai įstatymai; Pasaulio lietuvių bendruomenė; Išlikimas; Dual citizenship; Lithuanians living abroad; Emigrants; Emigration; Lithuanianess; Lithuania; Constitution; Constitutional laws; Lithuanian World Community; Survival.
ENGlobalization, collapse of the Soviet Union, refugee crises, and the European Union enlargement have been the dominant causes of increased migration. While many countries in the world are relaxing their citizenship laws to comply with the challenges presented by increased migration, Lithuania continues to arm itself with legal and political barriers to restrict legalization of dual citizenship. This paper focuses on the existence and development of very strict dual citizenship laws in Lithuania and their effect on the country and its emigrants. It aims at uncovering the biggest obstacles to relaxing dual citizenship regulations. This study reveals many benefits of dual citizenship and balances them against the dangers dual citizenship may create. It also examines the citizenship regulations of the countries Lithuanians are mainly emigrating to. This paper argues that the resistance to dual citizenship does not benefit the country and Lithuanians living abroad, falls behind the global citizenship trend, and threatens the survival of the country. The goal of this paper is to amplify the ongoing debate pertaining to the restrictive dual citizenship regulations in Lithuania and to provide solutions to the existing stagnant situation. While it is true that the number of people leaving Lithuania is increasing every year, the laws of the Republic of Lithuania remain very restrictive towards dual citizenship, which does not serve the interests of Lithuanians, both home and away, falls behind international citizenship tendencies, and threatens the survival of the country due to high emigration rates. [From the publication]
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- Integration processes and dual citizenship / Vytautas Sinkevičius. Baltic journal of law & politics. 2009, Vol. 2, Nr. 2, p. 31-35.
