VILNIUS, April 18 (RAPSI) – The Lithuanian parliament on Thursday ruled that the bill allowing EU nationals to establish and join political parties in Lithuania should be returned for improvement.

The bill was drafted by the Justice Ministry in compliance with the EU agreement under which EU nationals who are not Lithuanian citizens must have a right to run for local governments in Lithuania and for the European Parliament on a par with Lithuanians. Justice Minister Juozas Bernatonis said that the dismissal of these amendments could lead to sanctions for violating the EU law.

The Lithuanian MPs were unanimous in their decision to return the bill for improvement. The first time they discussed a similar bill, which they also returned for improvement, was in October 2013.

Under the current Lithuanian law on political parties, only Lithuanian citizens above the age of 18 can establish and join political parties.