Basic information of the petition 358/2011 – Tomasz Snarski/ Poland The petition is focused on the problem of the violating human rights and the EU law by Lithuania as a member of the EU. Title: Linguistic rights of Poles (Lithuanian citizens) in Lithuania Issues: human rights, European citizenship, respect of the European Law

Discrimination of European Citizens Poles are idigenous people in Lithuania, they are European and Lithuanian citizens as well, they are the largest national minority in Lithuania. Poles are banned from using their names and surnames in their mother tongue and from using place names in their mother tongue. There are no domestic law regulations regarding the protection of minorities in Lithuania. Polish people are often discriminated because of their nationality.

The problem and the EU The EU is fully competent to examine the problem presented in the petition 358/2011/Tomasz Snarski Lack of response by the EU on this issue is a retreat from supporting the EU citizens. The petition claims human dignity and rights to cultural identity of every EU citizen. Petition reminds that EU it is not only the common market but the common value as well.

The problem and the EU law Discrimination of Polish minority violates the EU’ Treaties: art. 2, art. 3, art. 4 ust. 3, art. 6, art. 9 the Treaty on EU, and art. 20, art. 45 the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, and the directive 2000/43/WE. Discrimination is in contradiction to the general rules of the EU law, including the rule of the democrating state and the European standard of the Human Rights. Those were the most important law aspects not mentioned in the written answer from the European Commission.

Conclusions Actual case is in contradiction to following EU rules: respecting human rights, solidarity and cooperation between EU states, supporting EU objectives as defined in the Treaty by the EU members, respecting rights of European Citizens, anti-discrimination and of cultural dissimilarity, respecting free movement of workers through the EU area.

The European Union and its citizens Is Lithuania as a member of the EU obliged to obey human rights or not? I am making a request for all the necessary law and political steps towards the guarantee of respecting human rights by Lithuania.