Lithuanian politician says immigrants from Pakistan and India also enrich the country

Immigrants arriving in Lithuania from Pakistan, India, and other countries not only pose certain risks but also contribute to the nation’s economic growth, Ruslanas Baranovas, a member of the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania, said on Monday.

Speaking during the LRT Forum broadcast, Baranovas noted that Lithuanians themselves had experienced large waves of emigration in recent years. “It’s not as if people here are afraid of outsiders,” he said. “Lithuanians lived in London and everywhere else, and they saw that diversity. That diversity brings many good things to our country.”

Laurynas Kasčiūnas, chairman of the Homeland Union–Lithuanian Christian Democrats, argued that balance is key in immigration policy. “Experts say that if the share of foreigners in society exceeds 10 percent, serious risks emerge,” he said, citing examples of immigrant-heavy cities like Stockholm, Berlin, and Paris. “I don’t know if they’re getting richer from it, but the fact is, there are major problems. We need to manage this very carefully.”

Situation under control
Interior Minister Vladislovas Kondratovičius stated that migration in Lithuania is currently well-balanced. “We see no sudden increases, no unregistered groups or people without permits,” he said.

Andrius Romanovskis, president of the Lithuanian Business Confederation, highlighted that Lithuania now has the highest number of employed people in its history. Of the roughly 200,000 immigrants in the country, about 80,000 are Ukrainian refugees, while only around 25,000 come from Central Asia—less than 1 percent of the total population.

Romanovskis also noted that Lithuania’s annual immigration quota stands at 25,000 people. “Businesses say that if this number were raised to 30,000, that would likely be the upper limit,” he said, adding that the most in-demand professions among third-country immigrants are truck drivers (who spend 90 percent of their time outside Lithuania) and construction workers like concrete pourers and welders.

Changing reality
Vilnius Mayor Valdas Benkunskas acknowledged that Lithuania’s economic growth has made it an attractive destination for long-term settlement, rather than just a transit country. “The Vilnius region has long surpassed the EU average in economic development,” he said. “Working in Vilnius is now more profitable than in parts of Spain.”

With around 78,000 foreigners residing in the capital, Benkunskas stressed the need for an open discussion on migration policy. “For now, the situation is manageable—we don’t have major issues with urban cleanliness or similar problems,” he said. “But if we leave migration unchecked, we’ll face the same challenges as many Western European cities.”

He proposed that the central government review the system of temporary residence permits, which currently hold little practical significance. Benkunskas also emphasized the importance of integrating immigrants, even if they come only for work. “We hear other languages, Russian is dominant. These people, whether they stay for a year, three years, or a decade, become part of our society, whether we like it or not,” he said. “They shop in the same stores, eat in the same restaurants. We live together. If there are signs someone wants to stay longer, the state must say: ‘You have not only rights but also duties in our country.’”