Is there too much Russian spoken in Vilnius? Over the past year, many Vilnius residents have responded to this increasingly common question by saying that it is an indisputable fact, lrytas.lt writes in its editorial Laiko ženklai.
The Russian language became particularly prevalent after 2020, when more than 50,000 Belarusians arrived in Lithuania following the crackdown on protesters by Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, and after 2022, when more than 80,000 Ukrainians fled to Lithuania due to Russian aggression in Ukraine.
Some Ukrainians have left for other countries or returned to their homeland, and statistical data is constantly changing; however, there are still approximately 50,000–60,000 Ukrainian citizens living in Lithuania. There are over 50,000 Belarusians with residence permits in Lithuania, the majority of whom reside in Vilnius. Of course, it is not only because of these newcomers that Russian is heard so often in Vilnius.
Of course, it is not only because of these newcomers that Russian is so often heard in Vilnius. Recently, LRT showed a report from Vilnius, and it was striking that everyone was discussing their problems in Russian. One woman mentioned that she had been living in this region for 40 years and had never experienced such a rainy summer.
This naturally raises the question of why, in four decades, a Lithuanian citizen has not been able to learn enough Lithuanian to avoid having her words translated from Russian into the official language. There is no other explanation for this phenomenon other than an unwillingness to speak the Lithuanian language.
Of course, all Russians and Poles who finished secondary school after Lithuania regained its independence speak Lithuanian quite well, some even fluently.
Better teaching of the official language is needed first and foremost for young people from national minorities, creating equal conditions for them to pursue higher education and compete in the labour market alongside Lithuanians.
However, it is dangerous to promote ideas that put pressure on national minorities, as happened to the Head of the State Language Inspectorate, Valotka, who proposed closing Polish and Russian schools and was then forced to apologise when a Polish diplomat pointed out that this would violate agreements between our countries. And applying the law only to Russians could also be considered discrimination.
One way or another, Lithuanians most often encounter service workers who do not speak Lithuanian and who have come to our country in recent years. For some time, Ukrainians were viewed very favourably, as it was understood that learning to speak Lithuanian is not easy; however, tolerance towards them is gradually waning.
Conservative leader Kasčiūnas proposed that residence permits for foreigners in Lithuania should only be extended if they pass a Lithuanian language exam, considering this could be at the A2 or even B1 level.
The state language requirement is not the only condition imposed on foreigners in this politician’s draft law. The primary objective is to eliminate emigration to Lithuania. For example, members of emigrant families would only be allowed to come if they already knew the Lithuanian language, and the right of foreigners studying in our country to work would be restricted.
Admittedly, taking into account the concerns of the business community, Kasčiūnas also provides for exceptions for highly qualified workers, persons transferred within the internal structures of companies, long-term residents of other EU countries, as well as children and people of retirement age.
It is impossible to disagree with the Conservatives’ arguments that newcomers must respect our country, traditions, language, laws, and order; therefore, the constitutional exam he proposes for those seeking permanent resident status would not be harmful. However, all these conditions together may not only discourage immigration, but also close the door to it altogether.
Statistics show that at the beginning of 2024, there were approximately 222,000 foreigners living in our country, and this year, there are already 4,000 fewer. Recently, the number of migrants from Ukraine and Belarus has begun to decline in Lithuania, but the number of arrivals from the former Soviet republics of Central Asia is increasing.
It is doubtful that such changes in migration flows are favourable for Lithuania. After all, Ukrainians and, to some extent, Belarusians who have already settled here can more easily move to another EU country. However, Central Asians will still attempt to reach Lithuania at all costs, and integrating them may be significantly more challenging due to greater cultural differences.
Business is very concerned that the irritating spread of Russian culture in Lithuania will not provoke any attempts to prevent migration. When it comes to the economic benefits of migration, the need for highly qualified specialists is often cited; however, in reality, the most significant shortages are in the construction, transportation, and service sectors.
Although business representatives claim to encourage migrants to learn Lithuanian, in reality, it is challenging to achieve this within a year, and Lithuanians are not rushing to fill the jobs currently occupied by foreigners. Dismissing those who have not learned Lithuanian would create a massive labour shortage.
Therefore, businesses support the government’s plans to postpone the requirement of last year’s law that all public services be provided in the state language from next year, and even suggest limiting the requirement for migrants to speak Lithuanian to a basic level, without requiring better proficiency.
There is no doubt that the Russian language should not overshadow the Lithuanian language. However, when providing legal safeguards, it is essential not to confuse linguistic and political motives, violate EU law, or create an atmosphere of hostility towards speakers of other languages.
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