Lithuanian parliament approves law establishing Kapčiamestis military training ground

The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has approved a law establishing a military training ground in Kapčiamestis, following over four months of debate. The bill now awaits the president’s signature after passing with 105 votes in favour, 12 against, and four abstentions, LRT.lt reports.

Opposition came primarily from the “Nemuno aušra” (New Dawn) faction, along with two members each from the Farmers and Greens Union and the mixed parliamentary group. Critics argued the project lacked proper documentation and questioned the need for a new training ground when Lithuania already has existing facilities.

Social Democrat Rimantas Sinkevičius, chair of the Seimas National Security and Defence Committee, dismissed proposals to compensate landowners with alternative property rather than cash, calling such measures “unfeasible” or likely to cause unacceptable delays. Conservative Laurynas Kasčiūnas emphasised NATO allies’ repeated questions about Lithuania’s training capacity, underscoring the facility’s strategic importance.

The 14,600-hectare site, currently home to nearly 2,000 private plots—mostly forested—will require compensation payments. Residential property owners in affected zones will receive over €51,000 per structure, while agricultural, forestry, or commercial landowners will get more than €5,000 per plot, in addition to the land’s market value.

Liberal opposition leader Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen accused some lawmakers of deliberately obstructing the process, warning that “delay equals damage” to national security. The project had previously exposed divisions within the ruling coalition, with earlier votes revealing opposition from “Nemuno aušra” members and some Farmers and Greens representatives.

Protests against the training ground have been held since the bill’s introduction in late March, when questions first arose about the government’s unity on the issue.