Lithuania begins transposing EU Migration Pact requirements

Lithuania’s parliament, the Seimas, has begun transposing the requirements of the EU Migration Pact into national law, with proposals to strengthen foreigner screening, introduce movement restrictions, and establish a solidarity mechanism, LRT reports.

On Tuesday, 65 MPs voted in favor of amendments to the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens and other legislation, with six against and eight abstentions.

Acting Interior Minister Vladislavas Kondratovičius said the draft laws aim to create an effective migration management and asylum system, prepare for potential increases in migration flows, ensure solidarity with EU member states facing irregular migration pressure, and speed up international protection and return procedures.

Under the proposals, asylum seekers arriving from safe countries or those who mislead authorities or pose security threats would be subject to mandatory border procedures. Those not meeting international protection requirements would be returned.

A screening and border procedure monitoring mechanism would also be established. Screenings, including identification, security checks, health examinations, and vulnerability assessments, must be completed within seven working days if the foreigner is found at an external border, or within three working days if found within Lithuanian territory.

Asylum seekers subject to border or return border procedures would be accommodated without the right to move freely in Lithuania. However, in individual cases, temporary leave from accommodation could be granted if the risk of absconding is managed.

The amendments also propose replacing the terms “refugee” and “asylum” with “international protection,” while asylum seekers would be referred to as “applicants” and asylum applications as “international protection requests.” The concept of family members of international protection beneficiaries would also be defined, with a separate basis for issuing temporary residence permits.

Kondratovičius emphasized that the changes would also enshrine the application of a solidarity mechanism in national law. The government would decide on the transfer of persons and their numbers, as well as solidarity measures, with annual reviews. The Migration Department, together with the State Security Department and other services assessing security situations, would make decisions on the entire transfer procedure.

In crisis situations, there would be possibilities to extend procedural deadlines, deviate from the application of border procedures, and exempt crisis-affected states from the obligation to take back applicants from other EU member states for which they are responsible.

Accompanying legislative drafts aim to ensure the rights of family members of international protection beneficiaries in social security, healthcare, and qualification recognition, as well as expand healthcare coverage for unaccompanied minor international protection applicants.

Kondratovičius noted that implementing the entire package from the EU’s borders, visa financial support, and Asylum, Migration, and Integration Fund is expected to allocate nearly €74 million, with 10% co-financing from Lithuania’s budget.

Vitalijus Šeršniovas, a member of the Mixed Group of MPs, questioned whether allowing migrants to bring family members to Lithuania would significantly increase the number of foreigners in the country. Kondratovičius clarified that a foreigner legally residing in Lithuania would not be able to bring family members under family reunification grounds, but a separate permit exists for family members.