Legal provisions for mandatory referendums at national level

CONSTITUTION OF THEREPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA

(Adopted1992; last amended 2006)

http://www3.lrs.lt/home/Konstitucija/Constitution.htm

Article 9

The most significant issues concerning the life of theState and the Nation shall be decided by referendum. In the cases established by law, the Seimas shallannounce a referendum. A referendumshall also be announced if not less than 300,000 citizens with the electoralright so request. The procedure for theannouncement and execution of a referendum shall be established by law.

Article 147

A motion to alter or supplement the Constitution of theRepublic of Lithuania may be submitted to the Seimas by a group of not lessthan 1/4 of all the Members of the Seimas or not less than by 300,000 voters…

Article148

Theprovision of Article 1 of the Constitution “the State of Lithuania shall be anindependent democratic republic” may only be altered by referendum if not lessthan 3/4 of the citizens of Lithuania with the electoral right vote in favourthereof. The provisions of the First Chapter “The State of Lithuania” and theFourteenth Chapter “Alteration of the Constitution” may be altered only byreferendum. Amendments of the Constitutionconcerning other chapters of the Constitution must be considered and voted atthe Seimas twice...


REFERENDUMLAW

(Adopted 2002; lastamended 2012)

http://www3.lrs.lt/pls/inter3/dokpaieska.showdoc_e?p_id=437744

Article 4. Mandatory Referendums

1. Referendums shall be mandatory with regard to thefollowing issues:

1) on the amendment to the provision of Article 1 ofthe Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania that, “the State of Lithuaniashall be an independent and democratic republic;”

2) on the amendment to the provisions of Chapter I ofthe Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, “the State of Lithuania;”

3) on the amendment to the provisions of Chapter XIVof the Republic of Lithuania Constitution, “Amending the Constitution;”

4) on the amendment to the Constitutional Act, datedJune 8, 1992, “On Non-Alignment of the Republic of Lithuania to Post-SovietEastern Alliances;”

5) regarding participation by the Republic ofLithuania in international organizations, should this participation be linkedwith the partial transfer of the scope of competence of Government bodies to the institutions ofinternational organizations or the jurisdiction thereof.

2. Mandatory referendums may be held also with regardto other laws or provisions thereof, which 300 thousand citizens having theright to vote or the Seimas shall submit a proposal for to be decided by meansof a referendum.

CONSTITUTIONALACT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA ON THE NON-ALIGNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OFLITHUANIA TO POST-SOVIET EASTERN UNIONS

(Adopted 1992)

http://www3.lrs.lt/home/Konstitucija/Constitution.htm

The Supreme Council of the Republic ofLithuania, invoking the 16 February 1918and 11 March 1990 Acts on the Restoration of the Independent State of Lithuaniaand basing itself on the will of the entire Nation as expressed on 9 February1991, and seeing the attempts topreserve in any form the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics with allits conquered territories and the intentions to draw Lithuania into thedefence, economic, financial and other “spaces” of the post-Soviet Easternblock, resolves:

1. To develop mutually advantageous relationswith each state which was formerly a component of the USSR, but to never joinin any form any new political, military, economic or other unions orcommonwealths of states formed on the basis of the former USSR.

2. The activities seeking to draw the State ofLithuania into the unions or commonwealths of states specified in the FirstArticle of this Constitutional Act shall be regarded as hostile to theindependence of Lithuania and liability for them shall be established by laws.

3.There may be no military bases or army units of Russia, the Commonwealth ofIndependent States or its constituent states on the territory of the Republicof Lithuania.