Lithuanian approach towards multi-ethnicity is so anachronistic, so full of complexes, that some Members of the European Parliament intend to take official steps in this matter. The situation is also worrying as Lithuania is starting the Presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1st July 2013.

Serious violations of the rights of the Polish minority are still occurring. Apart from an attack on Polish education and prohibition of writing names in their original form in official documents, tightening actions have started regarding the use of bilingual information signs even in those municipalities where Polish minority constitutes 90% of the total population. I only want to mention that the percentage of Poles reaches 80% of the population in the Šalčininkai district and 60% of the population in the Vilnius district. Both local self-governments are managed by people belonging to Polish minority in Lithuania.

Recently, there have been several administrative-executive actions (non-compliant with the European standards) initiated against the directors of the two districts. Fines were imposed on them for not taking off bilingual street signs hanging on inhabitants' private buildings (sic!). Mrs Liucina Kotlovska, the head of the Vilnius district, was fined up to one thousand litas for several times. Currently, the administrative court asked her to present the information about her financial situation in order to impose a fine of 1,000 litas per day (!) due to the delay in enforcing the removal of bilingual street names of inhabitants' buildings. A fine should be paid from the personal property of Mrs Kotlovska. The situation is becoming simply dramatic, as this is kind of a repressions and intimidation of Polish society; this is also an effort to financially destroy people from governments. Similar administrative measures were initiated against Mr Boleslav Daškevič, the head of the Šalčininkai district.

This unique in EU situation violates European standards in the field of the protection of national minorities' rights which are included in the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and the Polish - Lithuanian Treaty. It is also a clear example of discrimination on nationality grounds. I would like to mention, that Lithuanian minority in Poland has wide privileges, which include the use of bilingual sings too. This shows the right approach of Poland towards the national minorities. There is a lack of such mutuality in Lithuania.

In the couloirs of the European Parliament, talks can be heard that this situation should be discussed during the period of the Lithuanian Presidency. Does the country which violates the rights of national minorities and fails to comply with European Standards have the moral right to take over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union? I am sure, that this issue will soon be discussed in the European Parliament. I am also sure that the harm done for the Polish local governments' members will unite people of good will who will support them both morally and financially until the end of discrimination in Lithuania.

Dr. Bogusław Rogalski, political scientist
ECR Advisor for International Affairs