Godliauskas calls for clearer institutional leadership on total defence concept

Former deputy defence minister Tomas Godliauskas, now head of the Total Defence Association, says Lithuania lacks clear institutional leadership in developing its total defence concept, politika.lt reports.

“Institutional roles are currently fragmented,” Godliauskas said. “The president, as commander-in-chief, together with the State Defence Council, sets strategic guidelines, including the State Defence Plan. However, at the executive level, the process involves multiple ministries, with the Ministry of Defence coordinating only part of these functions.”

He noted that no single institution currently takes full responsibility for coordinating the implementation, preparation, and expansion of the total defence concept, nor for integrating societal and economic actors. “In this regard, institutional leadership could be clearer,” he added.

Godliauskas suggested his association could assist the state in this area. He described total defence as a comprehensive process, citing Finland as a model where citizens, communities, and state institutions have well-defined roles in crisis situations.

Lithuania, he said, has favourable conditions to adopt such practices and achieve a full-scale total defence model by 2030, built on collaboration between citizens, society, and state institutions.

The association he leads, “Strong Together,” aims to support state institutions, society, and other total defence stakeholders in three main areas, helping to coordinate and implement the concept.