Primitive work: The Seimas allowed for the defense to purchase components from China and other unreliable countries

   "Lithuanian defense industry companies, which do not always find reliable manufacturers of drones or other goods components at favorable prices, will be able to buy them from China and other unreliable manufacturers. On Thursday, the Seimas adopted the amendments to the Public Procurement Law providing for this: 77 members of the Seimas voted in favor, three were against, and 21 abstained. Such purchases from May of this year to May of next year will not be prohibited when the purchased goods are intended to be used exclusively for the purposes of scientific research, experiments, studies or experimental development or for the support of foreign countries.

 

    

 

     An exception will be applied to procuring organizations operating in the field of defense, managing critical information infrastructure, considered to be part of strategically important economic sectors or registered in the list of users of the Secure Network. 

 

 

Conservative Linas Slušnys assured that it is not the most cheerful decision, when you need to open your market to Chinese products, but without some components, Lithuania cannot produce, say, drones.

 

    

 

     "While we wait, we will be left behind by our ambitions," he said at the meeting. Aidas Gedvilas, who belongs to a mixed group of Seimas members, called the amendments non-transparent: "Such purchases require special control." Farmer Giedrius Surplys assured that the companies have already purchased the details and are waiting for corrections of the law.

 

    

 

     Vice Minister of Economy and Innovation Karolis Žemaitis told LRT radio on Thursday that defense industry companies will be allowed to purchase only components and not software from China. 

 

 

He noted that the goods would only be used for testing and support for Ukraine, not for permanent use. According to K. Žemaitis, the control of goods and components purchased from China will be ensured. According to him, the use of software from China is already defined by law. Virgilijus Dirma, deputy director of the association "Infobalt", said that such an initiative by politicians is positive, according to him, both Ukraine and Russia buy drones from Chinese manufacturers."

 

 

 

After all, we will absorb those billions of your euros. We will buy parts from the Chinese and assemble toy drones from them. We can't do anything else.