Police, firefighters and border guards seek nearly 350 million euros

Police, firefighters and border guards are seeking almost 350 million euros in additional funding for next year, while Interior Minister Martynas Katelynas said financing sources would be sought to meet the large needs of statutory agencies, LRT reported Wednesday.

“I have seen the need, and it is definitely large. I think this is not a matter for just one year, because the need concerns not only salaries but also infrastructure and other things,” Katelynas told reporters.

He said the government would try to provide as much funding as possible within its capabilities, adding that he would announce specific figures once they were available.

The Police Department is requesting an additional 168.7 million euros, the State Border Guard Service 134.5 million euros and the Fire and Rescue Department 43.9 million euros.

Former Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovic identified a similar need of about 350 million euros in late April to increase officers’ salaries and fund other incentives. At the time, he said the biggest concern was the renewal of officers’ material resources.

Katelynas said there were intensive discussions with the Finance Ministry and the prime minister about the state’s financial capacity and the balance between expectations and what could be delivered.

In late July, Katelynas proposed allocating a larger share of funding for officers’ salaries within agencies’ budgets by reviewing whether spending on vehicles was appropriate.

“I am not saying that anyone is wasting money, but whenever changes are sought, internal resources are examined first. We are doing the same in the ministry,” he said.

Katelynas added that some investments could be postponed for several years if officers’ salaries were made a priority, suggesting that agencies could use older vehicles for a couple of years while paying higher wages.

The 2026 state budget allocates 1.07 billion euros to the entire interior affairs system.