Lithuania Moves to Lift Constitutional Ban on Nuclear Arms

Lithuania’s Seimas approved a proposal for an amendment to lift the constitutional ban on weapons of mass destruction and foreign military bases. Ninety-nine lawmakers voted in favor. Following a discussion on September 22 the Lithuanian Parliament approved a proposal to repeal the constitutional amendment banning nuclear weapons, which provides for removing the ban on having weapons of mass destruction on the country's territory. This was reported on the website of the Lithuanian Parliament, UNN reports.

"Following the discussion, the Seimas approved an amendment to the Constitution providing for the repeal of the provision that weapons of mass destruction and foreign military bases may not be located on the territory of Lithuania," the statement said.

Following the discussion, 99 members of the Seimas voted in favor of the amendment, 13 voted against, and 5 abstained.

According to the Statute of the Seimas, after the procedure for adopting constitutional amendments begins, the Seimas will have to vote twice more, with an interval of at least 3 months between the votes. A bill amending the Constitution is considered adopted by the Seimas if at least 2/3 of all Seimas members—94 parliamentarians—vote in favor of it in each ballot.

According to Seimas Speaker Juozas Olekas, quoted by LRT, the first vote on adopting the constitutional amendment is scheduled for October 6, and final adoption for January 12 of the following year.