Vilnius Mayor Valdas Benkunskas is launching a campaign to collect signatures in support of requiring foreign nationals living temporarily in Lithuania to learn Lithuanian.
Benkunskas is advocating for a legal provision that would require non-European Union citizens to demonstrate at least A2-level proficiency in Lithuanian when renewing temporary residence permits after three years. Currently, no such requirement exists.
The mayor said he had previously raised the proposal with Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovič but did not receive a response, prompting him to seek public backing. Signature collection is set to continue throughout May at locations across Vilnius and online.
Kondratovič said in April that while the Interior Ministry is responsible for managing legal migration, responsibility for integrating foreign residents – including language and cultural education – lies with the Ministries of Culture, Social Security and Labour, as well as municipalities. He added that foreign residents should be expected to achieve proficiency in the state language within five years.
Similar legislative amendments have been proposed in the parliament, Seimas, by Laurynas Kasciunas, Benkunskas’ fellow conservative and leader of the Homeland Union–Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD), though they have not yet been adopted.
About 76,000 foreign nationals live in Vilnius, including roughly 61,000 non-European Union citizens. Nationwide, there are approximately 189,000 holders of temporary residence permits.
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