Lithuania expands polygraph testing to include foreigners and suppliers

The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has expanded the list of individuals subject to polygraph testing to include foreigners who may pose a threat to national security, as well as representatives of suppliers, LRT reports.

In a vote on Monday, 81 lawmakers supported the amendments, 14 abstained, and four voted against. The changes allow polygraph testing for both legal and natural persons supplying goods or services who hold or seek access to classified information or possess a supplier reliability certificate. These individuals will face the same verification conditions as military personnel, officials, and civil servants.

The law also enables intelligence agencies to use polygraph tests on individuals applying to become confidential collaborators, assessing their trustworthiness and loyalty. However, such tests may only be conducted by the specific intelligence institution with which the individual is cooperating.

The State Security Department (VSD) will now have the authority to polygraph foreign citizens when evaluating potential threats to national security, provided the foreigner consents to a repeat examination.

Previously, polygraph tests were limited to verifying biographical facts. Under the new rules, the method will be used to check all circumstances outlined in the Law on State and Official Secrets that may affect an individual’s trustworthiness or loyalty to Lithuania.

Institutions conducting background checks for security clearances will no longer need to request formal consent from the individual’s supervisor to administer a polygraph test. The decision will rest with the investigating institution itself.

The amendments also clarify the consequences of refusing a polygraph test. For Lithuanian citizens, refusal or failure to appear will result in the denial or revocation of access to classified information. For foreigners, refusal will automatically classify them as a potential threat to national security.

Currently, polygraph testing is limited to state employees, military personnel, officials, and institutional staff working with or seeking access to classified information.