The state of emergency in Lithuania, introduced on February 24 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has been extended until mid-September.
On Tuesday, 80 Lithuanian lawmakers voted in favour of the resolution, seven voted against and 28 abstained.
Opponents of the resolution argued there was no justification for putting the entire country under the state of emergency regime, which suspends certain rights. According to them, the state of emergency could apply only to the border area.
Social Democrat Algirdas Sysas said he saw no need for a country-wide state of emergency: “The arguments for introducing a state of emergency in the whole country are to ban the rebroadcasting of Russian TV channels, which is what the communication watchdog is for and it can ban anything. But nobody will be going around and removing satellite dishes from houses. Those who really want to watch propaganda programmes have satellite dishes and can use them. And no state of emergency will change that.”
Presenting the state of emergency motion earlier this week, Parliament Speaker Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen said that the threat to public order had not diminished amid Russia’s ongoing military aggression in Ukraine.
Moreover, she said, Russia continues with its open and intensifying rhetoric of threats against the countries that support Ukraine.
The state of emergency was introduced in Lithuania on February 24 after Russia started its invasion of Ukraine and was originally set to expire on June 29. It has now been extended until September 15.
Under the state of emergency, Lithuania has banned the rebroadcasting of Russian and Belarusian TV programmes, holding meetings in support of Russia’s war, and introduced some other restrictions.
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