The Seimas has outlawed the promotion of symbols used by aggressor states

Press release, 19 April 2022

The Seimas has approved amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences and the Law on Meetings (drafts No XIVP-1453(2) and No XIVP-1454(2)), thus banning any signs and symbols that serve to promote military aggression.

The Code outlaws the dissemination and demonstration of the symbols of totalitarian and authoritarian regimes used by these regimes, either at present or in the past, to promote any past or ongoing military aggression, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed by the said regimes.

Fines for violations will range between EUR 300 and EUR 700 to individuals, and between EUR 600 and EUR 1,200 to heads of legal entities or other offenders. Fines for repeated offence will vary between EUR 500–900 to individuals and will range between EUR 800 and EUR 1,500 to heads of legal entities or other offenders.

The original draft amendments to the Code proposed including specific symbols used by authoritarian regimes to promote their past or ongoing military aggression, namely, the bicoloured black-orange St George’s Ribbon, letters ‘Z’ and/or ‘V’, other elements expressing these letters, and other symbols.

A debate on the draft amendments led to the decision to use a more generalised wording in the legislation.

‘The Committee on Legal Affairs has opted for a general wording, which allows for covering more symbols,’ said Paulė Kuzmickienė, one of the initiators of the amendments, who said that these provisions will already be presented to residents by 9 May 2022. ‘Officials will be ready and the public will be duly informed that the fines have been increased and that this is seen as war propaganda.’

Monika Ošmianskienė, the other initiator of amendments, supported this opinion by saying that ‘there are no specific provisions on symbols (characters) and letters. However, the police will be entitled to impose a fine for the display and dissemination of even a greater range of symbols used as means to support aggression. The Committee has decided to extend the wording of the amendment. Most importantly, the reference to past and ongoing military aggression has been preserved.’

The Law on Meetings stipulates that participants of meetings and solitary individual campaigns shall be forbidden to display any symbols used by totalitarian or authoritarian regimes, at present or in the past, for promoting past or ongoing military aggression, crimes against humanity and war crimes, as well as to perform the anthem of the Nazi Germany, the USSR, and the Lithuanian SSR. The symbols of totalitarian or authoritarian regimes used by the said regimes at present or in the past as a means to promote past or ongoing military aggression, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed by these regimes shall include the bicolour (black and orange) Georgian Ribbon, also known as St George’s Ribbon, at all times.

A total of 124 Members of the Seimas voted in favour of the amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences, with one vote against and two abstentions.

Amendments to the Law on Meetings were approved by 124 Members of the Seimas with no votes against and three abstentions.

Saulė Eglė Trembo, Chief Specialist, Press Office, Information and Communication Department, Office of the Seimas, tel. +370 5 239 6203,  e-mail: [email protected]