Sinkevičius calls for effective national defence system

Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius said Lithuania needs an effective national defence system, according to LRT, after meeting representatives of an initiative group on Monday.

“Lithuania needs an effective national defence system. We still have to create it. I thank the initiative group for the ideas and proposals it has put forward,” Sinkevičius said.

The Government Chancellery said the meeting was attended by initiative group representatives Petras Vaitiekūnas and Arūnas Degutis, signatories of the March 11 Independence Act, as well as political scientist Fausta Šimaitytė.

The group presented its proposal to strengthen Lithuania’s national defence. It said Lithuania had not yet made full use of its opportunities and had failed to create an effective system.

According to the group, creating a fully functioning national defence system requires government initiative and leadership. It said the government controls the main administrative resources needed to develop and implement such a system.

The group also said the system required a clear legal basis and an institutional mechanism, including the establishment of a National Defence Centre.