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On Sunday, a mandatory referendum on the amendments to the articles 9, 47 and 147 of the Constitution took place in Lithuania. The referendum was on the following constitutional amendments: lowering the number of signatures needed to invoke referendums from 300,000 to 100,000, retaining Lithuanian citizenship as a prerequisite for owning freehold land in Lithuania (forests, lakes, parks), including a provision that decisions made by a referendum can be overruled only by holding another referendum.

267,119 Lithuanians voted "yes" in the referendum, while to initiate the referendum even 300,000 signatures were collected. 2.83% of ballots were recognized void.

According to the chair of the VRK, official results of the referendum will be announced on Thursday.

The referendum would be considered to have taken place if over 50% of eligible citizens took part in it.

2.559,398 Lithuanian citizens had the right to vote in Sunday's referendum.

Lithuanian top leaders, President Dalia Grybauskaite, Parliament Speaker Loreta Grauziniene and Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius, have expressed their will in the referendum.

The highest turnout recorded in Pakruojis district (15%), Neringa Municipality (14.41%), Salcininkai (14.3%), Raseiniai (13.5%), and Panevezys district (13.01%).

The lowest turnout registered in Visaginas (6.25%), Alytus (8.69%), and Vilnius (8.99).

Rasa Viciute

The results of Sunday's referendum, which says that the referendum has failed, show that there are no problems in Lithuania with land sale to European Union citizens and that this referendum has reflected only a small share of voters, says political scientist Tomas Janeliunas. According to him, the results of the referendum send a message to the European Union that Lithuania can be trusted.

"Of course, it is very low, that is it is actually record low and if we take into consideration the number of voters who came, it is very similar to the number of those who wanted this referendum," said Janeliunas in an interview with news agency ELTA.

The referendum would be considered to have taken place if over 50% of eligible citizens took part in it.

According to the political scientist, the results of the referendum show that the referendum has not reached the majority of voters and its issues have actually been irrelevant to the largest share of voters.

The main reason for the fiasco of the referendum, according to Janeliunas, is that the largest political parties in Lithuania were against the referendum. Naturally, the supporters of these parties, both from the left-wing and the right-wing, took into consideration the arguments and explanations of the politicians as to why the referendum was unnecessary. In addition, the political scientist noted that land sale safeguards were introduced before the referendum and respectively some of the provisions of the referendum became pointless.

According to Janeliunas, by this referendum Lithuania sends a very clear message to the EU that it can be trusted and it honours commitments to the EU.

"The results of the referendum will send a very clear message that there are no big problems in Lithuania with land sale to EU citizens, and despite the huge furore in the public sphere, the political result is that the referendum reflected only a small share of voters; therefore, naturally all the commitments to the EU we have taken on by the Treaty of Accession to the EU, are still in effect, they are honoured by politicians as well as by the society, and I think it is a good sign in terms of Lithuania's reliability," said Janeliunas.

As reported, on 29 June, a mandatory referendum on the amendments to the articles 9, 47 and 147 of the Constitution took place in Lithuania.

The referendum was on the following constitutional amendments: lowering the number of signatures needed to invoke referendums from 300,000 to 100,000, retaining Lithuanian citizenship as a prerequisite for owning freehold land in Lithuania (forests, lakes, parks), including a provision that decisions made by a referendum can be overruled only by holding another referendum.

The transition period when Lithuania could impose a ban on land sale to foreigners expired in May and safeguards approved by Parliament came into force. However, initiators of the referendum believe those safeguards are not enough and prohibition of land sale to foreigners should be extended even though it contradicts the treaty signed with the EU.