President’s adviser criticises suggestion that Lithuania could close Russian minority schools

The President’s Office is critical of the education minister’s suggestion to phase out teaching in Russian in Lithuania, saying it would be more beneficial to consider possible ways of integrating national minorities into society.

“We need to think not about abolishing them [the schools – ELTA], but about integrating the young people from national minorities into the life of Lithuania: what we should do to make sure that they are fluent in Lithuanian, that they can pass the Lithuanian exam at school and that they are capable of integrating fully,” said Asta Skaisgirytė, chief foreign policy adviser to President Gitanas Nausėda, in her comment to Žinių radijas on Tuesday.

Minister of Education, Science and Sport Gintautas Jakštas told ELTA last week that he was looking for legal ways to abolish educational institutions intended for the Russian national minority.