 In 2011, former Polish President Lech Wałęsa criticized the government of Lithuania over its alleged discrimination against the Polish minority.The refusal of local authorities against the legislative base of Lithuania to install bilingual road signs in areas densely populated by ethnic Poles is at times described by Polish politicians and some Polish media as linguistic discrimination.The removal of a few illegally (without a permit of authorities) placed Polish or bilingual street signs was enforced, and this was felt by the local Poles as their discrimination.