State Duma ratifies Russian-Lithuanian readmission agreement

The State Duma has ratified a Russian-Lithuanian Agreement on Readmission, i.e. on return and reception of persons illegally staying in the territories of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Lithuania, as 285 deputies voted affirmative and 52 negative.

Addressing a plenary session of the State Duma, Dmitry Rogozin, Chairman of the State Duma International Committee and the Russian president's plenipotentiary for the Kaliningrad problem, reminded the deputies that the Agreement was signed in Vilnius on May 12, 2003.

According to him, the majority of countries regards conclusion of readmission agreements as a sign of partners' readiness for co-operation on migration-related problems, and take them into consideration while conducting talks on the whole range of issues dealing with mutual travel.

The Agreement corresponds with Russia's national interests and was drawn up with due regard for international practice and Russia's international commitments as laid down in the Joint Russia-European Union Summit Statement on transit of passengers between the Kaliningrad region, a Russian enclave on the Baltic Sea, and the rest of Russia, said Rogozin.

New transit rules for passengers crossing Lithuania on their way to the Kaliningrad region and back come into effect on July 1.