Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Lithuanian archivists have been receiving increasing numbers of enquiries from Russians looking for family roots in Lithuania. This would allow them to apply for the Lithuanian citizenship – something that, according to some politicians, is an opportunity for the country, but for others, a security risk.
In order to reconstruct one’s family tree dating back all the way to the 16th century, one may have to turn to the Lithuanian State Historical Archives. This is where church registers of all faiths are kept, recording baptisms, marriages, and deaths of previous generations.
The archive is also often consulted by foreigners looking for evidence of their Lithuanian roots in order to restore Lithuanian citizenship.
Archivists say that since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, there has been a new trend.
“We’re seeing an increase in the number of applications from Eastern European countries: citizens of the Russian Federation, of Ukraine,” says Neringa Češkevičiūtė, spokeswoman of the State Historical Archives.
The Migration Department has also noticed a growing interest in Lithuanian citizenship from people in Russia and Belarus.
“When the war broke out, we felt that we received a lot more calls asking how they could restore Lithuanian citizenship. We also received e-mails and pleas, saying: I have Lithuanian roots, how can I become a citizen as soon as possible and get a passport?” says Migration Department head Evelina Gudzinskaitė.
Restoring citizenship to descendants of Lithuanians living in Russia and Belarus is an ambiguous issue, says MP Laurynas Kasčiūnas, chairman of the Committee on National Security and Defence.
“On the one hand, there are indeed aspects of historical justice – the right of people to restore their citizenship. On the other hand, there is national security and our interests in preventing the formation of groups in our society that may be disloyal to the state,” says Kasčiūnas.
The issue of citizenship is very sensitive, especially in times of war, he believes.
“I see some risks. Risks that need to be assessed and managed with very clear safeguards,” Kasčiūnas insists.
The state itself can be a safeguard, believes Remigijus Žemaitaitis, an MP working on the issue of multiple citizenship. The worst thing to do at the moment would be to deny people living in Russia or Belarus possibilities to become Lithuanians, he says.
“Such decisions by the state will be perceived as humiliation or ridicule by those people who want to restore it [their citizenship],” says Žemaitaitis, vice-chairman of the Seimas and the World Lithuanian Commission.
Lithuania should do the opposite, he believes.
“Encourage people who want to leave [Russia or Belarus], to really help them. I think that would be the right thing to do,” Žemaitaitis says.
The Migration Department says it applies additional scrutiny when examining applications from Russia and Belarus. Moreover, the Security Department is screening everyone applying to become a Lithuanian citizen.
Citizenship would not be restored to people who committed or attempted to commit international crimes or criminal acts against the Republic of Lithuania.
Last year, Lithuanian citizenship was restored to some 150 Russian nationals. Currently, 12,000 people hold both Lithuanian and Russian passports. Two thirds of them have indicated that they live abroad.
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