"Not only the Social Democrats, but also other parties in the Seimas are proposing to slow down the funding of the army. Residents also have a different opinion on increasing the number of conscripts, LNK reports.
Should conscripts be abolished?
This week, the State Defense Council has decided that Lithuania will accelerate the purchase of armaments, buy together with Latvians and Estonians, and increase the number of conscripts. Now the service is performed annually by 3.8 thousand. young people. It was agreed that in two years almost 4.5 thousand people would be invited. "For the kind of neighborhood we have and for the capabilities of Russia and Belarus that they are developing, we must have forces that have the ability to both deter and defend the state," - commented the Minister of National Defense Arvydas Anušauskas.
The current rating leaders, the Social Democrats, say the conscripts would be abolished again
"In general, I would abandon the conscript order, because, as I mentioned, it is perhaps a wider reserve that is being created, but the primary goal is the professionalism of our army, filled battalions. This is professional military service. This is the main goal, "said Gintautas Paluckas, the elder of the Social Democratic faction.
The conscript army was returned in 2015 after Russian aggression in Ukraine. Surveys show that between 50% and 70% Lithuanians agreed with this. But even earlier, in 2008, conscripts were abolished when the Social Democrats were in power by the order of the Minister Juozas Olekas.
Funding peripetia
Lithuania already spends 2% on defense. GDP. This is a NATO standard. Some parties have signed an agreement to increase funding to 2.5 percent. "Having a modern, defensive army is very important. And that's why we signed for the increase in funding, "said Saulius Skvernelis, Member of the Seimas.
The Social Democrats are proposing to spend no more than 2% of GDP on defense.
The Polish election campaign has signed an agreement to allocate 2.5 percent, but now says it would no longer sign the agreement. The Labor Party does not speak about allocating more than 2 percent GDP for defense.
Hundreds of millions were spent on conscripts after they returned in 2015 during the reorganization of the army.
The former commander of the army says that Lithuania would remain incomprehensible to NATO partners if drastic changes in the army were made again after the new elections. "If Finland has already talked about the possibility of becoming a member of NATO, Sweden has already expressed certain indications," - said Arvydas Pocius, a member of the Seimas and former Commander of the Armed Forces. According to the Minister of National Defense, building a strong army is a long process. Distraction doesn’t help. "Therefore, there must still be a consensus of the Seimas. If changes in the law take place, it will be very difficult to change the model itself. Therefore, we emphasize that this is not a quick decision," - A. Anušauskas emphasized."
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