Lithuania plans €80 million border surveillance upgrade by 2030

Lithuania will invest around €80 million to modernise 711 kilometres of its border surveillance systems between 2027 and 2030, Interior Minister Vladislavas Kondratovičius announced on Tuesday, LRT reports.

The upgrade follows earlier modernisation efforts: between 2021 and 2023, 322 km of border systems were renewed, while an additional 370 km were updated from 2023 to 2027 at a cost of nearly €50 million. “Further work is planned for 2027–2030, covering 711 km with an estimated budget of €80 million,” the minister told the Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD) parliamentary group.

Kondratovičius stressed the need for rapid modernisation due to the fast-evolving nature of surveillance technology, which can become obsolete within a decade. “New technologies like artificial intelligence emerge, so we must ensure our systems remain effective,” he said. Currently, about 82% of the border is covered by modern systems, with plans to increase this to over 90% by year-end as ongoing investments conclude and new projects begin.

The minister assured that despite the need for upgrades, Lithuania’s entire border remains under 24/7 surveillance. “We’ve had no major system failures. Backup measures and alternative methods are always available,” he added. The goal is to fully modernise all high-risk border sections by 2027.