- CHAPTER I THE STATE OF LITHUANIA
- CHAPTER II THE HUMAN BEING AND THE STATE
- CHAPTER III SOCIETY AND THE STATE
- CHAPTER IV NATIONAL ECONOMY AND LABOUR
- CHAPTER V THE SEIMAS
- CHAPTER VI THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC
- CHAPTER VII THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA
- CHAPTER VIII THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT
- CHAPTER IX THE COURT
- CHAPTER X LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT AND GOVERNANCE
- CHAPTER XI FINANCES AND THE STATE BUDGET
- CHAPTER XII STATE CONTROL
- CHAPTER XIII FOREIGN POLICY AND NATIONAL DEFENCE
- CHAPTER XIV ALTERATION OF THE CONSTITUTION
- FINAL PROVISIONS
CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA
(Adopted by citizens of the Republic of Lithuania
in the Referendum of 25 October 1992)
THE LITHUANIAN NATION
– having created the State of Lithuania many centuries ago,
– having based its legal foundations on the Lithuanian Statutes and the Constitutions of the Republic of Lithuania,
– having for centuries staunchly defended its freedom and independence,
– having preserved its spirit, native language, writing, and customs,
– embodying the innate right of the human being and the Nation to live and create freely in the land of their fathers and forefathers—in the independent State of Lithuania,
– fostering national concord in the land of Lithuania,
– striving for an open, just, and harmonious civil society and State under the rule of law,
by the will of the citizens of the reborn State of Lithuania, adopts and proclaims this
CONSTITUTION
The State of Lithuania shall be an independent democratic republic.
The State of Lithuania shall be created by the Nation. Sovereignty shall belong to the Nation.
No one may restrict or limit the sovereignty of the Nation or make claims to the sovereign powers belonging to the entire Nation.
The Nation and each citizen shall have the right to resist anyone who encroaches on the independence, territorial integrity, and constitutional order of the State of Lithuania by force.
The Nation shall execute its supreme sovereign power either directly or through its democratically elected representatives.
In Lithuania, State power shall be executed by the Seimas, the President of the Republic and the Government, and the Judiciary.
The scope of power shall be limited by the Constitution.
State institutions shall serve the people.
The Constitution shall be an integral and directly applicable act.
Everyone may defend his rights by invoking the Constitution.
Any law or other act, which is contrary to the Constitution, shall be invalid.
Only laws which are published shall be valid.
Ignorance of the law shall not exempt one from liability.
Seizure of State power or of its institution by force shall be considered anti-constitutional actions, which are unlawful and invalid.
The most significant issues concerning the life of the State and the Nation shall be decided by referendum.
In the cases established by law, the Seimas shall announce a referendum.
A referendum shall also be announced if not less than 300,000 citizens with the electoral right so request.
The procedure for the announcement and execution of a referendum shall be established by law.
The territory of the State of Lithuania shall be integral and shall not be divided into any State-like formations.
The State boundaries may be altered only by an international treaty of the Republic of Lithuania after it has been ratified by 4/5 of all the Members of the Seimas.
The administrative units of the territory of the State of Lithuania and their boundaries shall be established by law.
Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania shall be acquired by birth and other grounds established by law.
With the exception of individual cases provided for by law, no one may be a citizen of both the Republic of Lithuania and another state at the same time.
The procedure for the acquisition and loss of citizenship shall be established by law.
The State of Lithuania shall protect its citizens abroad.
It shall be prohibited to extradite a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania to another state unless an international treaty of the Republic of Lithuania establishes otherwise.
Lithuanian shall be the State language.
The colours of the State flag shall be yellow, green, and red.
The Coat of Arms of the State shall be a white Vytis on a red field.
The State Coat of Arms, flag and their use shall be established by laws.
The anthem of the State shall be “Tautiška giesmė” by Vincas Kudirka.
The capital of the State of Lithuania shall be the city of Vilnius, the long-standing historical capital of Lithuania.
Human rights and freedoms shall be innate.
The right to life of a human being shall be protected by law.
The freedom of a human being shall be inviolable.
No one may be arbitrarily detained or held arrested. No one may be deprived of his freedom otherwise than on the grounds and according to the procedures which have been established by law.
A person detained in flagrante delicto must, within 48 hours, be brought before a court for the purpose of deciding, in the presence of the detainee, on the validity of the detention. If the court does not adopt a decision to arrest the person, the detainee shall be released immediately.
The person of the human being shall be inviolable.
The dignity of the human being shall be protected by law.
It shall be prohibited to torture, injure a human being, degrade his dignity, subject him to cruel treatment as well as establish such punishments.
No human being may be subjected to scientific or medical experimentation without his knowledge and free consent.
The private life of a human being shall be inviolable.
Personal correspondence, telephone conversations, telegraph messages, and other communications shall be inviolable.
Information concerning the private life of a person may be collected only upon a justified court decision and only according to the law.
The law and the court shall protect everyone from arbitrary or unlawful interference in his private and family life, from encroachment upon his honour and dignity.
Property shall be inviolable.
The rights of ownership shall be protected by laws.
Property may be taken over only for the needs of society according to the procedure established by law and shall be justly compensated for.
The home of a human being shall be inviolable.
Without the consent of the resident, entrance into his home shall not be permitted otherwise than by a court decision or the procedure established by law when this is necessary to guarantee public order, apprehend a criminal, save the life, health, or property of a human being.
The human being shall have the right to have his own convictions and freely express them.
The human being must not be hindered from seeking, receiving and imparting information and ideas.
Freedom to express convictions, to receive and impart information may not be limited otherwise than by law, if this is necessary to protect the health, honour and dignity, private life, and morals of a human being, or to defend the constitutional order.
Freedom to express convictions and to impart information shall be incompatible with criminal actions—incitement of national, racial, religious, or social hatred, violence and discrimination, with slander and disinformation.
The citizen shall have the right to receive, according to the procedure established by law, any information concerning him that is held by State institutions.
CHAPTER I THE STATE OF LITHUANIA
Article 1
Article 2
Article 3
Article 4
Article 5
Article 6
Article 7
Article 8
Article 9
Article 10
Article 11
Article 12
Article 13
Article 14
Article 15
Article 16
Article 17
CHAPTER II THE HUMAN BEING AND THE STATE
Article 18
Article 19
Article 20
Article 21
Article 22
Article 23
Article 24
Article 25