CHAPTER IV. NATIONAL ECONOMY AND LABOUR
Article 46
Lithuania’s economy shall be based on the right of private ownership, freedom of individual economic activity and initiative.
The State shall support economic efforts and initiative that are useful to society.
The State shall regulate economic activity so that it serves the general welfare of the Nation.
The law shall prohibit monopolisation of production and the market and shall protect freedom of fair competition.
The State shall defend the interests of the consumer.
Article 47
The underground, internal waters, forests, parks, roads, historical, archaeological and cultural objects of State importance shall belong by the right of exclusive ownership to the Republic of Lithuania.
The Republic of Lithuania shall have exclusive rights to the airspace over its territory, its continental shelf and the economic zone in the Baltic Sea.
In the Republic of Lithuania foreign entities may acquire ownership of land, internal waters and forests according to a constitutional law.
Plots of land may belong to a foreign state by right of ownership for the establishment of its diplomatic missions and consular posts according to the procedure and conditions established by law.
Article 48
Each human being may freely choose a job or business, and shall have the right to have proper, safe and healthy conditions at work, to receive fair pay for work and social security in the event of unemployment.
The work of foreigners in the Republic of Lithuania shall be regulated by law.
Forced labour shall be prohibited.
Military service or alternative service performed in place of military service as well as citizens’ work in time of war, natural disaster, epidemics, or other extreme cases shall not be considered forced labour.
Work performed by persons convicted by [the] court, the work being regulated by law, shall not be considered forced labour, either.
Article 49
Each working human being shall have the right to rest and leisure as well as to an annual paid leave.
The length of working time shall be established by law.
Article 50
Trade unions shall be freely established and shall function independently. They shall defend the professional, economic and social rights and interests of employees.
All trade unions shall have equal rights.
Article 51
While defending their economic and social interests, employees shall have the right to strike.
The limitations of this right and the conditions and procedure for its implementation shall be established by law.
Article 52
The State shall guarantee to citizens the right to receive old age and disability pensions as well as social assistance in the event of unemployment, sickness, widowhood, loss of the breadwinner, and in other cases provided for by laws.
Article 53
The State shall take care of people’s health and shall guarantee medical aid and services for the human being in the event of sickness. The procedure for providing medical aid to citizens free of charge at State medical establishments shall be established by law.
The State shall promote physical culture of society and shall support sport.
The State and each person must protect the environment from harmful influences.
Article 54
The State shall take care of the protection of the natural environment, wildlife and plants, individual objects of nature and areas of particular value and shall supervise a sustainable use of natural resources, their restoration and increase.
The destruction of land and the underground, the pollution of water and air, radioactive impact on the environment as well as depletion of wildlife and plants shall be prohibited by law.
