Rita Tamašunienė: Lithuanian legal system must be more effectively prepared to respond to actions directed against the interests of the State
The Government has approved the proposal by the Ministry of Justice to increase liability for activities against the security of Lithuania.
“The amendments to the Criminal Code initiated by the Government will establish clearer and stricter liability and will eliminate the grey areas in our legal system that could be taken advantage of by hostile states and individuals operating in their interests. In the context of threats in our region, this is a necessity and a reminder that security is our absolute priority and that any attempts to undermine it will be punished most severely,” said Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė.
As geopolitical tensions in the region flare up, Lithuania is taking additional legal measures to strengthen national security. In view of russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 and increasing hybrid threats, a major revision to the regulation of criminal justice is proposed.
Minister of Justice Rita Tamašunienė emphasises that the amendments proposed are a necessary response to the changed security environment: “Today, we see that threats to national security are becoming increasingly complex. It is our duty to ensure that Lithuania's legal system is prepared to respond to hybrid attacks, foreign intelligence operations and other actions directed against the interests of the State. With these legislative amendments, we want to make it clear that those who engage in activities against Lithuania will inevitably be held accountable.”
The draft laws are intended to prevent situations when persons acting in the interests of hostile states would be able to avoid criminal liability due to gaps in the current legal regulation.
One of the objectives of the proposed amendments is to establish clearly criminal liability for the illegal participation of Lithuanian citizens in armed conflicts abroad, if such conflicts are directed against the independence, territorial integrity or constitutional order of another state, or are incompatible with the international commitments of Lithuania.
Participation in foreign conflicts poses a real threat to national security – individuals gain combat experience, establish contacts with foreign structures and can be used against the interests of Lithuania.
It is also proposed to criminalise participation in activities organised abroad that pose a threat to companies important to Lithuania’s national security or to infrastructure of strategic importance. This is a response to the incidents that took place in the Baltic Sea exclusive economic zone in 2024–2025, when underwater cables and pipelines were damaged. Under the current legal framework, the application of liability for such acts committed outside the territory of Lithuania is limited even if such acts are directed against the national security interests of Lithuania.
The draft laws also propose to establish criminal liability for illegal participation in activities of foreign intelligence or security agencies, the execution of their instructions or tasks directed against the Republic of Lithuania, as well as for sabotage – the destruction, damage of or other harm to strategic or important infrastructure and the disruption of operations of companies important to national security.
These proposals will be submitted for consideration during the spring session of the Seimas.