VILNIUS, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Lithuanian legislators approved on Thursday the country's demographic, migration and integration strategy for the coming 12 years amid deepening demographic issues in the Baltic state.
Lithuania's demographic, migration and integration strategy for the year 2018 -2030 aims to increase the birth rate, reduce emigration, promote re-emigration, improve the life quality of ageing population.
According to an announcement published by the Lithuanian Parliament on Thursday, the country's strategy to increase the birth rate is based on helping families manage their work and family duties, increasing the quality of public services and developing financial incentives for families with kids, ensuring equal rights for men and women.
Lithuania, with population of less than 3 million, tries to increase the birth rate as its society has been steadily aging. According to the data provided by the Parliament, in 2017, around 550,200 people were 65 years old or older. In previous 12 years, the part of population aged 65 or older, had increased from 15.8 percent to 19.3 percent.
To address the issue of aging society, the strategy plans to ensure social, political and professional inclusion of older people, provide life-long learning, improve health services.
The Lithuanian society has been aging amid steady emigration which increased after Lithuania joined the European Union and the youngest part of the country's population fled looking for better pay. Since the peak of 3.7 million in 1992, Lithuania's population has shrunk to 2.85 million in 2017.
"In 25 years, Lithuania lost 859,000 residents, equal to the number of inhabitants of Vilnius and Kaunas, two largest cities", said the announcement by the Lithuanian Parliament following the approval of the strategy.
"If the tendency continues, Lithuania's population is projected to be 2.4 million according to Eurostat", said the Parliament.
To address Lithuania's shrinking population, the strategy plans to encourage re-emigration and "proportional" arrival of foreign citizens, according to the announcement.
Following the approval of the demographic strategy at the Lithuania Parliament, the country's government is to prepare legislation and action plan for implementation of the strategy.
