Lithuania may amend its Constitution to lift the ban on the deployment of nuclear weapons
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has stated that almost all the leaders of the Seimas parliamentary groups agree on the need to amend the provision of the Constitution that prohibits the deployment of nuclear weapons on the country’s territory.
The issue was discussed during a meeting at the Presidential Palace attended by the President, the leadership of the Seimas, the Government and the leaders of the parliamentary political groups.
Under the Lithuanian Constitution, weapons of mass destruction and military bases of foreign states may not be stationed on the country’s territory.
Following the meeting, Nausėda stated that this provision needs to be reviewed, as the geopolitical situation continues to deteriorate. He emphasised that the Constitution was adopted under entirely different circumstances.
“This is an absolute ban with no exceptions whatsoever. As such, Lithuania is effectively the only NATO member state to have imposed such a ban on itself. We must certainly take this factor into account,” said Nausėda.
The President also noted that Finland, where a similar restriction had been enshrined in law, has already lifted its ban on the deployment of nuclear weapons.
“Today, Lithuania finds itself in a sort of grey area within NATO itself. It would be regrettable if we were to become a weak link or a grey area within NATO itself,” he stated.
According to Nausėda, the majority of parliamentary group leaders shared this view. Almost all of them argued that this article of the Constitution is outdated and should be removed.
The President believes that the changes can be adopted by Parliament through a vote to amend the Constitution, as holding a referendum would take considerably longer.
“We have come to the conclusion that now is precisely the moment when both the Seimas and its Speaker can demonstrate the necessary leadership,” said Nausėda.
The idea of amending the Constitution is also supported by part of the opposition. At the same time, representatives of the ‘Dawn of the Nemunas’ party and the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union have taken a more cautious stance on this initiative.
To amend the Lithuanian Constitution, the amendments must be supported twice, three months apart, by at least 94 of the 141 members of the Seimas.
