Lithuania bans possession of firearms for Russian and Belarusian nationals

Lithuania’s parliament has banned possession of firearms for Russian and Belarusian nationals permanently residing in the country as it made amendments to its law on control of weapons and ammunition.

A total of 112 MPs voted in favour of the amendments while one voted against and 13 more abstained. The update to the laws will come into force starting 1 January.

Laurynas Kasčiūnas, the Chairman of the Committee on National Security and Defence, initiated the amendments. He is of the opinion that those should guard Lithuania against the threat of various “groups” that might be supporting the interests of Russia or Belarus.

The explanatory note to the amendments says that a total of 294 Russian nationals and 46 citizens of Belarus currently have a licence allowing them to own a firearm. They will need to dispose of it by selling it, making necessary modifications to it, or handing it in at a police station within one year after the amendments come into force. All permits to possess weapons will become null and void for Russian and Belarusian nationals.

A monument to the Soviet soldiers who lost their lives liberating Lithuania from Nazi German invaders in 1944 was dismantled at Antakalnis Cemetery in Vilnius, the country’s capital, in early December this year.

Lithuania’s Ministry of Justice noted earlier that only six stelai depicting soldiers would be dismantled, while the memorial and the graves will remain there.