The war in Ukraine has irrevocably altered the face of Europe, and legislative landscapes are no exception. Partner Rimantas Daujotas reviewed the legislative updates in Lithuania for CEE Legal Matters.
“The institution of a provisional administrator has been established; the possibility to realize assets subject to international sanctions, if they meet certain conditions, was established; a new coordination body for the implementation of sanctions was formed; functions regarding the international implementation of sanctions are now distributed according to competences to the relevant institutions; the requirement to record the imposition of international sanctions in public registers or information systems” was also set up, R. Daujotas says.
“To ensure that sanctioned assets are not left unmanaged and, taking into account the fact that sanctions can also affect the activities of very large companies in the country, it has become possible to appoint a provisional administrator to protect the country’s economy from the negative economic and social consequences,” R. Daujotas adds.
He explains that there are “many disputes about the extent of sanctions that are applied and the decisions of the authorities responsible for implementation. It is evident that the sanctioning mechanism is incomplete, with most decisions left to the discretion of the authorities, without a single clear regulatory framework,” Daujotas says. “Certain new risks and uncertainties have arisen for businesses, in particular for those that have had or have business partners in Russia or Belarus, or that operate in the territory of the aforementioned countries,” which could lead to an increase in litigation procedures, Daujotas reports.
“Ukrainians who have fled the war enjoy simplified conditions for employment in Lithuania,” he says. These amendments aim to allow those fleeing war quicker access to healthcare systems. “They also enable integration into the labor market, by removing some of the usual requirements, e.g., no longer having to obtain a work permit,” he explains.
“The Republic of Lithuania has demonstrated that it is fulfilling its international obligations, supporting Ukraine and, at the same time, is capable of hosting large numbers of people fleeing the war. Simultaneously, it is an excellent human rights precedent where regulations are quickly and effectively lifted to protect people who are in a difficult situation,” Daujotas highlights.
The full article can be read in CEE Legal Matters.
