While human trafficking cases related to prostitution or drug smuggling have declined, authorities say the number of complaints about forced labor is rising sharply in Lithuania.
Lithuanian Prosecutor General Nida Grunskienė told LRT Radio that there is a new trend and the number of pre-trial investigation cases is increasing, while it should be remembered that a few years ago there was not even a corresponding article in the Lithuanian Criminal Code.
According to prosecutors, 22 human trafficking cases are currently under investigation, 10 of which are directly related to forced labor. More than 100 victims and 75 suspects have been identified. Some lawyers say that not all cases can be defined as human trafficking. Lawyer Girijus Ivoška said this is appropriate in cases of mass labor trafficking or enslavement, but disputes over wage payments are another matter.
Human rights groups say migrant workers in the transport sector, many of whom are from Ukraine, Belarus, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia, are among the most vulnerable.
Belek Aidarov, the leader of Lithuania’s Kyrgyz diaspora, said that
employment laws make many of his compatriots feel trapped.
They require six months of work for an employer who has arranged visas. This allows unscrupulous employers to feel like kings. Some workers go months without pay.
Lawyer Ivoška noted that many conflicts arise from incorrect salary calculations or unpaid business trip allowances, and other times conflicts are exacerbated by cultural differences or personal disagreements.
Another problem is the language barrier. The employer is obliged to prepare contracts in a language that the employee understands, but in reality many only accept a verbal summary of the contract, sign a document that they do not understand, and later disputes arise.
The Lithuanian State Labor Inspectorate has reported a sharp increase in the number of labor law violations involving foreigners. The number of illegally employed people has increased fivefold, and most of them are Ukrainians and Belarusians, most of them in the construction sector.
More than a quarter of employment-related complaints in 2024 were filed by foreigners, and most of them are about unpaid or partially paid salaries. Authorities indicate that they will pay increased attention to the employment of foreigners, and will also conduct training for employers.
Read the full article in English here: https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2655731/from-trafficking-to-wage-disputes-migrant-worker-exploitation-in-lithuania-on-the-rise
Read also: Two human trafficking cases discovered in Estonia in June