REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA LAW ON THE STATUS OF DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS OF FOREIGN STATES IN THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA The Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania, pursuing from the universally recognized principles and norms of international law consolidated in the united Nations Charter, in the documents of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, in the 18 April 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, emphasising its adherence to the principles of sovereign equality of states, peaceful settlement of international disputes, and refraining from the use of force or threat by force, and expressing its conviction that granted privileges and immunities shall condition effective performance of the functions of diplomatic missions, has enacted this Law. Article
- A diplomatic mission of a foreign state (hereafter referred to as diplomatic mission) shall be a division of the foreign affairs agency of a foreign state functioning in the Republic of Lithuania, representing the sending state, protecting in Lithuania the interests of the sending state and of its citizens, and maintaining official relations between the sending and the receiving states. Article
- For the performance of their functions, diplomatic missions and their staff in Lithuania shall be granted privileges and immunities provided by the 18 April Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Article
- Persons who have been granted privileges and immunities specified in Article 2 of this Law must respect the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Lithuania. Article
- Upon receiving the agrement (approval) of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, heads of diplomatic missions, ambassadors and nuncios, envoys and internuncios shall be accredited by the President of the Supreme council of the Republic of Lithuania, and charges d'affaires of foreign states by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania. The class to which the heads of diplomatic missions are to be assigned and the size of a diplomatic mission shall be established by bilateral agreements. Article
- The head of a diplomatic mission of a foreign state and diplomats shall not in the Republic of Lithuania practice for personal profit any professional or commercial activity. Article
- Ambassadors and nuncios, envoys and internuncios shall commence to perform their functions by presenting their credentials to the President of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania. Article
- A diplomatic agent of the sending state may, with the consent of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, be accredited at the same time to more than one state. Article
- A diplomatic agent of a foreign state in the Republic of Lithuania may be a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania or, with the consent of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, a citizen of a third state. Article
- Heads of diplomatic missions and diplomatic agents, together with members of their families shall enjoy inviolability of person and private residence. The Government of the Republic of Lithuania shall take all appropriate steps to ensure their safety. Diplomatic agents who are not citizens of the Republic of Lithuania shall enjoy immunity from criminal, civil, and administrative jurisdiction of the Republic of Lithuania. Diplomatic agents shall enjoy immunity from civil jurisdiction, except in the cases of the diplomatic agents being involved in civil actions in which they are private persons. Administrative and technical staff, and members of their families, if they are not citizens of the Republic of Lithuania, shall enjoy equal privileges and immunities, except in cases where civil and administrative jurisdiction is limited to activities relating to their official functions. The immunity of the service staff, if they are not citizens of the Republic of Lithuania, as well as of diplomatic agents who are citizens of the Republic of Lithuania, shall be limited only to the actions relating to their official functions, unless an agreement provides otherwise. Article
- Diplomatic agents and members of the administrative and technical staff, if they are not citizens of the Republic of Lithuania, shall be exempt from all dues and taxes of the Republic of Lithuania, both national and municipal, except:
- indirect taxes;
- taxes on private immovable property, unless he holds it on behalf of the sending state for the purposes of the mission;
- estate, succession, or inheritance duties;
- capital taxes on investments made in commercial undertakings in the receiving state; and
- charges levied for specific services rendered. Members of the service staff, if they are not citizens of the Republic of Lithuania, shall be exempt from dues and taxes on the emolument they receive by reason of their employment. Article
- The premises of a diplomatic mission, and the property thereon, and the means of transport of the mission shall be inviolable. Government agents of the Republic of Lithuania may enter the premises of a diplomatic mission only with the consent of the head of the mission. The archives and documents of a diplomatic mission shall be inviolable wherever they may be. Article
- The premises of a diplomatic mission shall be exempt from all national or municipal dues and taxes other than such as represent payment for specific services rendered which shall be levied in accordance with the order established by the Government. Article
- In accordance with the laws and regulations of the Republic of Lithuania, the diplomatic mission of the sending state shall be permitted entry of articles for the official use of the mission, and for the personal use of diplomatic agents and their family members. These articles shall be granted exemption from all customs duties. The personal baggage of diplomatic agents shall be exempt from inspection, unless there are serious grounds for presuming that it contains articles, the import and export of which is prohibited by the laws of the Republic of Lithuania or controlled by special regulations. Such inspection may be conducted only in the presence of the diplomatic agent or of his authorised representative. Article
- Diplomatic missions of foreign states shall be guaranteed, in accordance with the order established by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, the right to freely communicate with the government of the sending state, and with other missions and consulates of the sending state situated in third states, employing for this end all appropriate means, including messages in cipher, and diplomatic post and couriers. Diplomatic missions may communicate with institutions of the Republic of Lithuania through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania in the manner established by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, with the exception of transport, communications, health, and police institutions. The diplomatic bag carried in the manner established by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania may not be opened or detained. Having been granted the consent of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, a diplomatic mission may install and use radio transmitters. Article
- Diplomatic missions of foreign states must be provided with premises necessary for the performance of official functions, and with private staff residences in accordance with the procedure established by laws of the Republic of Lithuania. Article
- In the cases where an international agreement to which the Republic of Lithuania is a party establishes norms other than those set forth in this Law, the norms of the international agreement shall be applicable. Vytautas Landsbergis President Supreme Council Republic of Lithuania Vilnius 3 October 1991 No. I-1857