Lithuania’s parliament – Seimas – passed a bill Tuesday banning Russian and Belarusian citizens from acquiring real estate, making the Baltic country one of the most legislative measures passed against Russia in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine.
The bill received 76 votes in favor, thirteen against and 34 abstentions. The exceptions to the rule will apply to those Russian and Belarusian citizens with permanent residence permits, or who have acquired such properties by way of inheritance, reports the Baltic news portal Delfi.
Among the amendments that have been approved within the rule is the relaxation of previously set restrictions that prevented Russians and Belarusians from acquiring Lithuanian citizenship.
Parliament Speaker Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen has welcomed the removal of these restrictions, not only because it gives »balance» to the rule, but also because it benefits those Russians and Belarusians who have been living in Lithuania for a long time.
»We have received many letters from people, very distressed, from the descendants of exiles, who also feel that they are in an uncertain situation (…). Thus, there are no excessive restrictions left for those citizens of Russia and Belarus who have been living in Lithuania for a long time,» she explained.
In recent times, the Seimas has legislated to ban Russian citizens in the country from carrying arms and remove all references to its Soviet past, included Russia on its list of sponsors of terrorism, passed resolutions to ask the UN to close the airspace over Ukraine, or to pressure the West to »isolate Russia».
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
