Dual citizenship

Is being ‘Scottish’ a matter of birth, descent or residence?

Professor Jo Shaw
scotish citizenship

If Scotland votes yes next year, then the Scots will have to decide who they are - who gets to be a Scottish citizen? And can they still be a British citizen too? And if so, does that mean London gets a say? Jo Shaw explains...

This piece originally appeared in Open Democracy digital commons. 

Rolling back history: The Romanian policy of restoration of citizenship to former citizens

Costica Dumbrava
Romanian citizenship

The Romanian policy of restitution of citizenship to former citizens has mixed justifications and complex implications. Invoking the moral obligation of the state to undo historical wrongs, post-communist leaders attempted to recreate the pre-war national community by restoring citizenship to people who were left outside the borders after the Second World War. This generated critical reactions from the neighbouring countries where former Romanian citizens live, particularly Ukraine and Moldova.  Although officials insisted that the policy was not driven by ethno-nationalists ideals, recent amendments that restrict the entitlement to the restoration of citizenship to former citizens through birth suggest a nationalist conception of citizenship that is defined primarily in terms of organic ties established through birth.

“It is not citizen Dumitrescu from [the Moldovan city of] Cahul who has decided to lose his [Romanian] nationality, it’s Stalin who has decided for him.”

Romanian president, Traian Basescu

The Risks and Benefits of Ethnic Citizenship by Florian Bieber

Kin-state paternalism

Millions of people in Southeastern Europe are citizens of more than one state. Among the many ‘multi-citizens’ of Southeastern Europe there are probably a million who have received passports from countries they have never lived in.

Millions of people in Southeastern Europe are citizens of more than one state. Many acquired this status when they were gastarbajteri [guestworkers]in Germany, Austria and elsewhere in Western Europe; others received a second passport as they fled the wars that accompanied the disintegration of Yugoslavia.

Montenegro and Serbia: squinting at dual citizenship

squinting at dual citizenship

Citizenship struggles in Montenegro and between Montenegro and Serbia continue.

When Serbia and Montenegro met in October 2008 to discuss the issue of dual citizenship, both parties were confident that an agreement would be reached by the end of the month. Two and half years later, the issue is still unresolved.

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