Social Democrats to question coalition partners over opposition to military training ground

The leader of Lithuania’s Social Democratic Party, Mindaugas Sinkevičius, has announced plans to convene a coalition council meeting to clarify why some lawmakers from the ruling majority voted against the proposed Kapčiamiesčio military training ground, LRT reports.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Sinkevičius said the party would seek explanations from coalition partners—members of the Nemuno Aušra (New Dawn) and Farmers and Greens Union factions—who opposed the project in its initial parliamentary vote.

“The party has decided to hold a coalition council meeting soon to discuss these issues: to hear our colleagues’ explanations and arguments for why this universally understood and necessary state decision was not supported by coalition partners,” Sinkevičius said.

He noted that the 11-member joint faction of Nemuno Aušra and the Farmers and Greens Union saw six lawmakers vote against the proposal, prompting questions about the remaining members’ positions. “When six out of 11 vote against, it’s natural to ask what happened to the others and what to expect,” he added.

The Social Democratic leader described the upcoming council as the first step in addressing the coalition’s future, with time still available to resolve disagreements before the project reaches further parliamentary stages. “The vote after submission is not final—there are still deliberation and adoption phases. Until then, we have some time to clarify these relationships: where this opposition comes from and what grounds it’s based on,” he said.

Sinkevičius called the meeting a “litmus test” for evaluating coalition cooperation, with the party’s own council set to review the matter on April 16.

Earlier reports indicated that 102 MPs supported the Kapčiamiesčio training ground bill in its first reading, while 10 voted against—seven from Nemuno Aušra, including its leader Remigijus Žemaitaitis, and three from the Farmers and Greens Union. Four additional Nemuno Aušra members and one from the Vardan Lietuvos (For Lithuania) faction abstained.