Lithuania has banned the public display of the black and orange ribbon of Saint George and other symbols of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Anyone defying the ban will face fines.
On Tuesday, the Lithuanian parliament Seimas passed the amendments to the Law on Administrative Offences and the Law on Assemblies banning pro-war symbols in a vote of 124 to one, with two abstentions.
The legislation prohibits the public display of “symbols of totalitarian or authoritarian regimes that were used or are being used by those regimes for their past or present military aggression and/or propaganda of crimes against humanity and war crimes”.
The amendments specify in particular that “the two-colour [black and orange] Saint George’s Ribbon shall be deemed” a prohibited symbol “in all cases”.
The ban also covers the letters “Z” and “V” that have become the symbols of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The public display of these symbols will be punishable by fines of up to 700 euros for individuals and up to 1,200 euros for legal entities.
The new legislation is yet to be signed into law by President Gitanas Nausėda.
Currently, the Law on Assemblies prohibits the display of the flags, coats of arms, and uniforms of Nazi Germany, the USSR, or the Lithuanian SSR, as well as the symbols of Nazi or Communist organisations.
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