Lithuania a national security exampleBy Chen Yung-chang 陳永昌Late last year it came to light that two of Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich’s children have Lithuanian citizenship, which could allow him to use their status to transfer assets and evade international sanctions. In prioritizing its national security, Lithuania has demonstrated its determination to maintain strict controls. Abramovich’s paternal grandparents were Belarusian Jews who moved to Lithuania, but were forcibly transferred to Siberia in 1940, during World War II. That Abramovich’s children hold Lithuanian passports amounts to a loophole in the economic sanctions against him. By staunchly defending its national security and interests and strictly controlling its system of naturalization and residence, Lithuania has set a good example for other countries.
