Vilnius Mayor Valdas Benkunskas will begin collecting signatures from Monday for a petition to introduce a language requirement for foreigners wishing to continue living in Lithuania, writes Delfi.
The initiative предусматривает amendments to legislation under which citizens of non-EU countries, when extending a temporary residence permit after three years of residence, would have to confirm knowledge of the Lithuanian language at no lower than A2 level. Currently, there is no such requirement, which, according to the mayor, deprives foreigners of real incentives to learn the language.
According to the mayor of the Lithuanian capital, after the Vilnius City Council adopted an action plan in this area, the city is beginning to implement the measures предусмотренные in it. According to V. Benkunskas, learning the Lithuanian language is a priority part of this plan and a necessary condition for successful life in the city. This will create conditions for foreigners settled in Vilnius to learn the state language in the most convenient way.
Benkunskas noted that he had already approached the minister on this issue but did not receive a constructive response.
“Perhaps the minister’s leadership lacks support from the public, so I am beginning to mobilize citizens — by collecting signatures, we will provide the minister with a greater mandate. We propose introducing a requirement under which, to extend a temporary residence permit in Lithuania after three years, a foreigner must have a document confirming knowledge of the Lithuanian language at no lower than A2 level. And each signature under this petition, I hope, will become an important political signal about the need to revise the current regulation”, the mayor said.
The collection of signatures throughout May will be conducted both in person and online via the Peticijos.lt platform. The city plans to allocate 4.3 million euros for language support and other assistance to foreigners.
There are 76,000 foreigners living in Vilnius — one in ten residents is not a Lithuanian citizen. According to studies, about one-third of residents of foreign origin in the capital do not speak Lithuanian at all.
