Vilnius’ resolution comes a yr after Margarita Drobiazko participated at an occasion in Sochi
Lithuania has revoked the citizenship of Russian-born determine skater Margarita Drobiazko, shortly after President Gitanas Nauseda introduced his intention to take action primarily based on a advice by the nation’s Citizenship Fee.
“The president signed the decree,” a consultant for Nauseda instructed the Baltic Information Service (BNS) on Thursday. The Lithuanian head of state had earlier instructed the identical media supply that “the query [to revoke her passport] is totally clear to me.”
“I believe that individuals who wish to unfold the sunshine of tradition and goodness within the pores and skin of an aggressor can proceed to do that with out Lithuanian citizenship,” Nauseda added.
The remarks seem like a reference to an open letter issued by Drobiazko to “fellow Lithuanians” this week, wherein she addressed hypothesis surrounding her standing as a citizen. “So far as I perceive, I’m charged with not publicly expressing my political opinion,” the retired Moscow-born athlete wrote.
Drobiazko additionally mentioned that she doesn’t promote Russia’s overseas coverage goals, however solely spreads “the sunshine of tradition and goodness.”
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On Wednesday, Lithuania’s Citizenship Fee really useful that Drobiazko, 51, be disadvantaged of citizenship “resulting from her publicly expressed assist for the Russian Federation, which is interpreted as a hostile state in direction of Lithuania, the states of the European Union and their allies.”
In August 2022, Drobiazko and her Lithuanian-born husband, Povilas Vanagas, participated in an ice-dancing occasion in Sochi which was organized by Tatyana Navka, the spouse of Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
After the occasion, Nauseda mentioned the choice to award Drobiazko Lithuanian citizenship “seems like a depressing farce.” Lithuania’s deputy minister of inner affairs, Arnoldas Abramavicius, argued in July that Drobiazko was not “some sort of terrorist” however that “assist to the aggressor state might be each ethical and monetary.”
The transfer to revoke Drobiazko’s citizenship comes after Lithuania launched a regulation earlier this yr which allows the elimination of passports beforehand issued by advantage of contributions to sport or tradition, ought to the individual be suspected of opposing the nation’s safety pursuits.
Alongside together with her husband, Drobiazko is taken into account to be one of the adorned determine skaters in Lithuania’s historical past. Each formally retired from the game in 2006, and now work and reside in Russia.
