Late last year it came to light that two of Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich’s children have Lithuanian citizenship, which could allow him to use their status to transfer assets and evade international sanctions. The Lithuanian Ministry of the Interior immediately initiated a legislative amendment that would make it possible to revoke such people’s citizenship for national security reasons, even if they acquired it through a blood relationship under the principle of jus sanguinis. In prioritizing its national security, Lithuania has demonstrated its determination to maintain strict controls.
Abramovich’s paternal grandparents were Belarusian Jews who moved to Lithuania, but were forcibly transferred to Siberia in 1940, during World War II. Under Lithuanian law, direct descendants of people who held Lithuanian citizenship before 1940 can apply to be naturalized as Lithuanian citizens, which is how Abramovich’s children obtained Lithuanian passports prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Abramovich’s wealth exceeds that of some countries. In 2003 he bought the Chelsea soccer club — one of the top teams in the English Premier League.
After Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea, Abramovich was placed on the US’ “Kremlin list” of sanctioned individuals. When his British visa expired in 2018, UK authorities delayed renewing it, preventing him from witnessing his team’s victory over Manchester United in that year’s FA Cup final.
As well as his original Russian nationality, Abramovich also holds an Israeli passport. In May 2018, he became an Israeli citizen due to his Jewish heritage under the Israeli Law of Return, and his Israeli passport allowed him visa-free access to the UK. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, he felt compelled to sell his soccer club, and the EU froze his assets and banned him from traveling in or through its member states.
That Abramovich’s children hold Lithuanian passports amounts to a loophole in the economic sanctions against him. Lithuania insists that possession of its citizenship must not be used as a cover to avoid sanctions, so it plans to close this loophole through the amendment. It is also expanding its investigation to find out whether any of Abramovich’s other children, or indeed other sanctioned Russian oligarchs or their relatives, hold Lithuanian passports. The Lithuanian government sees this as an important part of its strategy of supporting Ukraine’s resistance against Russia’s invasion.
Meanwhile, since Lithuania deported about 2,000 Russian and Belarusian citizens in August last year, it has required all 18,000 Belarusians living within its borders to fill out a questionnaire, as new arrivals are required to do, to find out their attitudes toward the war in Ukraine. Anyone who refuses to answer the questionnaire or whose answers contradict Lithuania’s official position are regarded as a threat to the nation’s security and face the possibility of having their residence permit revoked.
By staunchly defending its national security and interests and strictly controlling its system of naturalization and residence, Lithuania has set a good example for other countries.
Chen Yung-chang is a company manager.
Translated by Julian Clegg
Trying to force a partnership between Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) and Intel Corp would be a wildly complex ordeal. Already, the reported request from the Trump administration for TSMC to take a controlling stake in Intel’s US factories is facing valid questions about feasibility from all sides. Washington would likely not support a foreign company operating Intel’s domestic factories, Reuters reported — just look at how that is going over in the steel sector. Meanwhile, many in Taiwan are concerned about the company being forced to transfer its bleeding-edge tech capabilities and give up its strategic advantage. This is especially
US President Donald Trump’s second administration has gotten off to a fast start with a blizzard of initiatives focused on domestic commitments made during his campaign. His tariff-based approach to re-ordering global trade in a manner more favorable to the United States appears to be in its infancy, but the significant scale and scope are undeniable. That said, while China looms largest on the list of national security challenges, to date we have heard little from the administration, bar the 10 percent tariffs directed at China, on specific priorities vis-a-vis China. The Congressional hearings for President Trump’s cabinet have, so far,
The US Department of State has removed the phrase “we do not support Taiwan independence” in its updated Taiwan-US relations fact sheet, which instead iterates that “we expect cross-strait differences to be resolved by peaceful means, free from coercion, in a manner acceptable to the people on both sides of the Strait.” This shows a tougher stance rejecting China’s false claims of sovereignty over Taiwan. Since switching formal diplomatic recognition from the Republic of China to the People’s Republic of China in 1979, the US government has continually indicated that it “does not support Taiwan independence.” The phrase was removed in 2022
For years, the use of insecure smart home appliances and other Internet-connected devices has resulted in personal data leaks. Many smart devices require users’ location, contact details or access to cameras and microphones to set up, which expose people’s personal information, but are unnecessary to use the product. As a result, data breaches and security incidents continue to emerge worldwide through smartphone apps, smart speakers, TVs, air fryers and robot vacuums. Last week, another major data breach was added to the list: Mars Hydro, a Chinese company that makes Internet of Things (IoT) devices such as LED grow lights and the
RSS