1. Challenges of 'Non-Traditional' Minorities: Evidence from the Baltics (Lithuania).
- Author
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Budryte, Dovile and Pilinkaite-Sotirovic, Vilana
- Abstract
Case studies of minority rights regimes in the new EU member states suggests that post-Communist societies are struggling to come up with ways to deal with the so-called "non-traditional" minority issues which include gay rights and immigration. This paper will include an assessment of minority rights regimes in several post-Communist states (focusing on the Baltics), including the actual policies and implementation of minority rights policies and legislation. It is argued that EU accession has strengthened the traditional minority rights regime which focuses on cultural rights for traditional minorities. Although (under the EU pressure) countries such as Lithuania have adopted anti-discrimination legislation which prohibits both direct and indirect discrimination, several recent public opinion surveys show that there is little popular support for progressive legislation inspired by the EU. The inability of post-transitional societies to address issues related to the "new" minorities makes exploration of new integration models necessary. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2010