News

VILNIUS, Jun 16, BNS – Lithuania's parliament took yet another step regarding compensation of 128 million litas (EUR 37.1 mln) for Jewish property nationalized by totalitarian regimes.

The bill on Good Will Compensation for Real Estate of Jewish Religious Communities was approved for discussion by 77 votes in support, seven against and eight abstentions. The parliament is yet to vote on adoption of the draft legislation.

Under the bill, the compensation would be transferred to a special foundation, the governing body of which would represent the Jewish Community in Lithuania, the Religious Jewish Community of Lithuania and other Jewish religious, health, cultural and education organizations.

Jewish organizations have not reached a unified position on the government-initiated law - a few Jewish rabbis have asked the Lithuanian Seimas to vote down the proposal, stating disapproval to the payment of money to a foundation that would involve Jewish organizations operating in Lithuania.

The presented draft has also come under criticism from an organization that called itself the Jewish Religious Community of Kaunas. It is not satisfied with the fact that a compensation would be paid, in its opinion, to "a mystical fund comprised of institutions and organizations that have nothing to do with the continuity of Judaism traditions, the history of Lithuanian Jews and Jewish religious communities."

Meanwhile, the Jewish Community of Lithuania backs the draft law stipulating that the Lithuanian government would pay 128 million litas in compensation for nationalized Jewish property in 2013-2023. The sum amounts to about a third of the value of all appropriated properties.

Authors of the draft said the law would demonstrate Lithuania's good will to restore historic justice, improve the relations between Lithuanian and Jewish nations, as well as state respect to human rights and commitments before the global Jewish community and international organizations. Furthermore, handover of relevant real estate would provide Lithuania with politically stronger positions in its talks with Russia on compensation of damages caused by the totalitarian regime.