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Seimas adopted a Resolution on the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration

Press release, 4 December 2018

 

The Seimas endorsed a Resolution on the United Nations Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (draft No XIIIP-2979(2)) with 73 votes in favour, 21 votes against and 21 abstentions.

The Resolution of the Seimas acknowledges that migration is a global phenomenon and that Lithuania and the international community face constant challenges of uncontrolled irregular mass migration.

The Resolution concurrently underlines that cooperation among the Member States of the United Nations relies on the principles of national sovereignty and that the United Nations Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (hereinafter referred to as the Global Compact for Migration) reaffirms the fundamental principle in that the Member States have the sovereign right to determine their national migration policies and legal regulation in this regard. Moreover, the Global Compact for Migration envisages the need to ensure the security of national borders, communities and migrants and counter efficiently human trafficking and smuggling of migrants.

The Resolution of the Seimas notes that no Member State alone can tackle migration challenges. It also recalls the need to govern migrant flows to Member States of the European Union and implement, effectively and urgently, control of external maritime and land borders of the EU.

The Resolution underlines that while exercising all human rights and fundamental freedoms, migrants must abide by the laws of receiving countries and respect their customs and traditions.

In the Resolution, the Seimas expresses its view that approval of the Global Compact for Migration will provide a possibility to foster global responsibility for migration processes and contribute actively to the prevention of irregular migration and reduction of flows of unwanted migration.

While taking note of the fact that the importance of the Global Compact for Migration, its implications for the migration policies of individual states, national sovereignty in pursuing the policies, and the definition of the legal status of migrants and its interpretations have lately been the subject of much debate in the Member States of United Nations, the Resolution of the Seimas:

  • establishes that the Global Compact for Migration is a global and legally non-binding agreement on a common approach to migration, which does not entail any legal implications for the state of Lithuania with respect to its migration policy and does not develop any new legal categories, nor aims to create provisions of customary international law;

  • holds forth that it is for each Member State to decide on ways to contribute to the implementation of the provisions set out in the aforementioned Global Compact;

  • calls on the Government to analyse in detail the progress and outcome of debates on the Global Compact for Migration and, should this lead to approval of the Global Compact for Migration, submit a unilateral declaration or, if a like-minded group takes shape, a multilateral declaration which is in accordance with the provisions set out in the Resolution; and

  • encourages the Government to develop a dialogue with the public and the Seimas on international debates over the relevant migration policy issues.

 

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

 

   Last updated on 12/06/2018 16:11
   Jolanta Anskaitienė