Constitution

Lithuania 1992 Constitution (reviewed 2019)

Table of Contents

CHAPTER I. THE STATE OF LITHUANIA

Article 1

The State of Lithuania shall be an independent democratic republic.

Article 2

The State of Lithuania shall be created by the Nation. Sovereignty shall belong to the Nation.

Article 3

No one may restrict or limit the sovereignty of the Nation or make claims to the sovereign powers belonging to the entire Nation.

The Nation and each citizen shall have the right to resist anyone who encroaches on the independence, territorial integrity, and constitutional order of the State of Lithuania by force.

Article 4

The Nation shall execute its supreme sovereign power either directly or through its democratically elected representatives.

Article 5

In Lithuania, State power shall be executed by the Seimas, the President of the Republic and the Government, and the Judiciary.

The scope of power shall be limited by the Constitution.

State institutions shall serve the people.

Article 6

The Constitution shall be an integral and directly applicable act.

Everyone may defend his rights by invoking the Constitution.

Article 7

Any law or other act, which is contrary to the Constitution, shall be invalid.

Only laws which are published shall be valid.

Ignorance of the law shall not exempt one from liability.

Article 8

Seizure of State power or of its institution by force shall be considered anti-constitutional actions, which are unlawful and invalid.

Article 9

The most significant issues concerning the life of the State and the Nation shall be decided by referendum.

In the cases established by law, the Seimas shall announce a referendum.

A referendum shall also be announced if not less than 300,000 citizens with the electoral right so request.

The procedure for the announcement and execution of a referendum shall be established by law.

Article 10

The territory of the State of Lithuania shall be integral and shall not be divided into any State-like formations.

The State boundaries may be altered only by an international treaty of the Republic of Lithuania after it has been ratified by 4/5 [four-fifths] of all the Members of the Seimas.

Article 11

The administrative units of the territory of the State of Lithuania and their boundaries shall be established by law.

Article 12

Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania shall be acquired by birth and other grounds established by law.

With the exception of individual cases provided for by law, no one may be a citizen of both the Republic of Lithuania and another state at the same time.

The procedure for the acquisition and loss of citizenship shall be established by law.

Article 13

The State of Lithuania shall protect its citizens abroad.

It shall be prohibited to extradite a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania to another state unless an international treaty of the Republic of Lithuania establishes otherwise.

Article 14

Lithuanian shall be the State language.

Article 15

The colours of the State flag shall be yellow, green, and red.

The Coat-of-Arms of the State shall be a white Vytis on a red field.

The State Coat-of-Arms, flag and their use shall be established by laws.

Article 16

The anthem of the State shall be “Tautiška giesme” by Vincas Kudirka.

Article 17

The capital of the State of Lithuania shall be the city of Vilnius, the long-standing historical capital of Lithuania.