The government approves legislative amendments to implement the EU Migration Pact

The government approved amendments to the laws that will transpose the requirements of the European Union's Pact on Migration and Asylum into Lithuanian law.

The package prepared by the Ministry of the Interior needs to be approved by the Seimas. The amendments propose changes to the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens and other legal acts.

According to the draft, 

• foreigners would not be allowed to enter Lithuanian territory in cases where they are subject to screening, border or return procedures under EU regulations. It is envisaged that foreigners would be accommodated at screening points without being granted the right to move freely within the territory of Lithuania. The screening would be carried out by the State Border Guard Service and the Reception and Integration Agency. The Ministers of the Interior and Social Security and Labor would be tasked with determining what functions are performed during the screening, how they are carried out, and how the vulnerability assessment of foreigners is carried out. 
• Persons arriving at the external border must be screened within 7 days (identification, health and security screening), and persons detained within the territory of the country must be screened within 3 days.
• It is also proposed to establish that applicants who are subject to a border procedure or a return border procedure would be accommodated without the right to move freely within the territory of Lithuania. The ministers should determine the places of accommodation of such persons, the procedure and conditions of accommodation, as well as the applicable protection and control procedure. However, the draft provides that, after assessing individual circumstances, a foreigner could be allowed to temporarily leave the place of accommodation if the risk of his or her absconding is managed.
• The deadline for the State Security Department, the police or the State Border Guard Service to submit conclusions on the threat posed by a foreigner to state security, public order or society would also be extended. Instead of the currently provided 28 calendar days, it would reach 42 calendar days. 
• Fast-track assessment: A special 12-week procedure will be applied at the border for individuals who intentionally mislead authorities, destroy documents or pose a threat to national security. The aim is to make a decision on refusal of entry or return as quickly as possible, directly at the border.
• The amendments also propose to abandon the concepts of refugee and asylum. Instead, the concept of international protection would be used, an asylum seeker would be called an applicant, and an application for asylum would be called an application for international protection. 
• In addition, the concept of family members of beneficiaries of international protection would be defined. A separate basis for issuing a temporary residence permit would be established for these foreigners.
• The draft also proposes to establish a fundamental rights monitoring mechanism. It would be carried out by a selected non-governmental organization at the places where checks are carried out or border procedures are applied, and the Seimas Ombudsman's Office would prepare an annual fundamental rights monitoring report and examine complaints related to this monitoring.
• The Ministry of Social Security and Labour, together with international and non-governmental organisations and public institutions, would monitor reception conditions. Lithuania will have to modernize reception centers and ensure adequate living conditions for newcomers, paying special attention to vulnerable groups (e.g. unaccompanied minors). It also commits to expand early integration measures: Lithuanian language courses, vocational training, socio-cultural and mental health program
• The draft proposes that decisions on solidarity measures, relocation or admission of foreigners on humanitarian grounds be made by the Government. Lthuania's financial contribution to the solidarity reserve would amount to EUR 1.14 million and should be paid by the end of the first quarter of 2027. Under the EU Solidarity Mechanism, Lithuania intends to accept 58 migrants in Cyprus and pay a contribution of EUR 1.14 million. The government decided in December last year that Lithuania would accept half of the migrants and pay for the other half, in accordance with the Pact on Migration and Asylum approved by the EU Council in May 2024.
• EUR 73.9 million has been allocated from the EU Border Management and Visa Financial Assistance and the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund for the implementation of the Pact, with Lithuania contributing 10 percent. The monitoring mechanism would require 52 thousand euros annually, of which 26 thousand euros would be allocated for the salary of a new position in the Seimas Ombudsman's Office.