Lithuanian parliament holds decisive vote on Kapčiamestis military training ground

The Lithuanian parliament is set to hold a final vote Thursday on the establishment of a military training ground in Kapčiamestis, Lazdijai district, following months of debate and public opposition, LRT reports.

The proposal has faced resistance from a majority of the ruling “Nemuno aušra” (Dawn of Nemunas) party members, including party leader Remigijus Žemaitaitis, as well as politicians from the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union and the Christian Families Alliance. Despite this, earlier votes secured over 100 parliamentary supporters for the project.

Defence Minister Arvydas Anušauskas has repeatedly emphasised the facility’s strategic importance, citing the need to accommodate training for Lithuania’s national division and the German brigade stationed in the country. The chosen location near the Suwałki Gap—a narrow corridor between Belarus and Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave—adds to its geopolitical significance.

The State Defence Council approved the plan in mid-December, triggering protests from local residents and activists. Demonstrations, including a rally outside the parliament last week, have drawn hundreds of participants. President Gitanas Nausėda and the defence minister have attempted to engage with the community to address concerns.

If approved, the 14,600-hectare site—currently home to nearly 2,000 private plots, mostly forested—will be repurposed for military use. State-owned land will be transferred to the Defence Ministry, existing leases terminated, and local infrastructure, including roads and forests of national significance, reallocated to the armed forces. Property owners will receive financial compensation based on market value, with additional payments for relocation or other losses.

Residents losing homes are eligible for over €51,000 in compensation, while agricultural or commercial property owners would receive upwards of €5,000. A ten-year window will allow voluntary property transfers under favourable terms. The military aims to begin exercises at the site by 2028.

The draft law classifies the project as a matter of “exceptional state importance” in national defence, restricting future property transactions in the designated area.