Land ownership disputes complicate acquisition for planned Lithuanian military training ground

A planned military training ground in Lithuania’s Kapčiamiestis region faces delays as officials struggle to acquire land from dozens of co-owners with conflicting interests, LRT.lt reports.

During a Wednesday meeting of the National Security and Defence Committee (NSGK), MP Dainius Gaižauskas highlighted the complexity of purchasing private plots for the facility, set to open in 2030. Many properties are jointly owned by multiple individuals—sometimes entire families—who cannot agree on selling.

“There are 6,000 interested parties for over 2,000 properties,” Gaižauskas stated, citing an example where 8 of 13 homesteads belong to 24 co-owners, including siblings and heirs. “A husband may agree to sell, but his wife refuses—or vice versa. If the state divides compensation equally, the person who actually lived there won’t afford to buy it back. Conflict is built into the system.”

Deputy Defence Minister Bronius Bieliauskas acknowledged the challenge, noting that while the ministry knows the total number of plots, it has not tracked co-ownership details. Some properties have up to 11 owners, while others belong to single individuals. Bieliauskas framed the fragmentation as “almost an advantage,” arguing it forces co-owners to either sell to the state or reach a unified decision.

The proposed law, to be voted on in April, divides the training ground’s territory into two zones: one requiring mandatory relocation and another where residents can choose to sell within five years if they object to living near the facility. Both groups would receive additional compensation.

On Tuesday, the Seimas approved the draft law in principle. The 12,000-hectare site includes 13 private homesteads (one commercial), 77 residences with optional relocation, and 800 forestry/agricultural plots. Once the law passes, the land will be expropriated for public use.