Lithuania extends Ukrainian refugees' protection for a year

The Lithuanian government on Wednesday extended temporary residence permits for refugees from Ukraine for another year, reported Xinhua.

The temporary protection period, currently set to expire in March 2025, was extended until March 4, 2026.

According to the Migration Department, 30 to 40 new applications for temporary residence permits are registered daily.

Currently, over 44,300 individuals hold valid residence permits in Lithuania under the temporary protection scheme.

Interior Minister Agn Bilotaite said the extension will reduce the administrative burden for Ukrainians in Lithuania as they will have a longer valid residence permit and it will also reduce the workload of the Migration Department, according to the Baltic News Service (BNS).

This extension proposal is in line with an EU-wide decision made in June of this year. The EU activated the temporary protection mechanism on March 4, 2022.

The mechanism offers displaced Ukrainians collective protection and grants them rights to residence, employment, housing, medical care, and education for their children.