A Lithuanian woman living in Ireland is to contest for a seat in her home parliament. Catherine Reilly reports
A LITHUANIAN woman living in Ireland is to contest for a seat in her home parliament.
Jurga VidugirienÄ— is believed to be the first ever Ireland-based immigrant to enter parliamentary elections back home.
VidugirienÄ— is campaigning on issues affecting Lithuanian emigrants around the world, and says that her election to the Lithuanian Seimas (parliament) would represent "a victory for all Lithuanians living abroad".
The Dublin-based woman, who is also president of the Lithuanian Association in Ireland, told Metro Éireann that one of her main aims is to bridge the "gap" between Lithuanians at home and abroad.
Up to half a million Lithuanians have left their homeland since the restoration of independence in 1990, when Lithuania broke free from the Soviet Union . The country’s accession to the EU in 2004 saw heightened emigration, with tens of thousands of Lithuanians leaving for the UK and Ireland , prompting labour shortages and fears over the preservation of the country’s identity.
Attitudes to those who have left Lithuania in recent years can be negative, with some believing that emigrant Lithuanians have "no moral right to decide for Lithuania ’s future", explained VidugirienÄ—. However, even emigrants who left decades ago can retain "a deep love for Lithuania " and want their voices to be heard, she remarked. VidugirienÄ— said that the Liberalu sajudis party, under whose banner she is running, shares her belief that "half a million Lithuanians living abroad must be represented in the country's politics".
VidugirienÄ—, who has been campaigning in countries with high Lithuanian populations, stated that the development of "the long-promised curricula for Lithuanian weekend schools" is a priority issue. Some 200 of these schools exist around the world, including 10 in Ireland , which help to keep the Lithuanian language alive among the younger generations. However, much of the work involved in running these schools is reliant on the "goodwill" of volunteers, she said.
In response to a question on immigrant participation in next summer’s Irish local elections, VidugirienÄ—, who has lived in Ireland for eight years, said that although she is not contesting the polls in her adopted homeland, she believes immigrants, including Lithuanians, should get involved. She added that Irish people who know her are "thrilled" about her decision to enter Lithuania's elections.
The parliamentary elections in Lithuania take place on 12 October.
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