Vilnius mayor’s petition on language requirements for foreigners linked to upcoming elections

Vilnius Mayor Valdas Benkunskas has launched a petition drive demanding that non-EU foreigners prove Lithuanian language proficiency to extend their temporary residency permits, a move political analysts say is tied to next year’s municipal elections, LRT reports.

Benkunskas began collecting signatures in Cathedral Square on Monday, arguing that Interior Minister Vladislavas Kondratovičius has ignored repeated calls to address the growing number of migrants in the capital, where one in ten residents is now a foreigner. “All our requests and emails bounce back like they hit a wall,” the mayor stated. The petition proposes that after three years, non-EU residents must demonstrate at least A2-level Lithuanian to renew their permits.

The Interior Ministry responded in writing, calling integration a “joint effort” between state and municipal institutions and welcoming Vilnius’s “concrete steps” on migrant integration. However, critics dismiss the initiative as political posturing. Vytautas Mitalas, deputy mayor and a mayoral candidate from the Freedom Party, called the petition a “traditional political stunt,” questioning its impact on national security. “Whether a third-country national learns Lithuanian well or not won’t change their evening routine—or national security,” he said.

Opposition has also come from Aleksandras Nemunaitis, the Lietuva Visų party’s mayoral candidate, who accused Benkunskas of misusing city funds after the municipality spent nearly €7,000 on social media ads promoting the petition—ads Nemunaitis claims focus on the mayor himself rather than job opportunities. He has filed complaints with the Central Electoral Commission and the Special Investigations Service. The city recently launched a €22,000 job portal, 1000darbu.lt, citing poor communication with residents as justification.

Benkunskas denied the initiative was election-related, though he has not confirmed whether he will run for re-election. Political scientist Matas Baltrukevičius linked the timing to campaign strategy. “There’s a lot of talk about immigration—essentially, a strategy is being laid out for the upcoming elections,” he said. “It’s natural we’re seeing more of the mayor, but overall, there’s more noise around the municipality. Other political players are reacting too.”

Mayoral candidates declared so far include Mitalas, Nemunaitis, and independent Artūras Zuokas. Municipal elections are scheduled for spring 2025.