Žemaitaitis Against the Military Training Ground in Kapčiamiestis, Lithuania: It Is Unnecessary

 

“"Nemunas Aušra" does not support the decision approved by the State Defense Council (VGT) to establish a brigade-sized training ground in Kapčiamiestis. Despite the arguments of the responsible institutions that the new military facility is necessary to ensure Lithuania's national security, according to the chairman of the "aušrieči" party, Remigijus Žemaitaitis, another training ground in the country is redundant.

 

"Today, this training ground is completely unnecessary. It is redundant. First, use the existing training grounds. Today, as the situation in Ukraine shows, it is not training grounds that win wars, but modern technologies: drones, IT systems. The training ground is useless," R. Žemaitaitis told Delfi.

 

In turn, the President's Chief Advisor Deividas Matulionis, who announced the VGT decision on December 15, claimed that the establishment of the new training ground will increase the security of the so-called Suwalki corridor.

 

However, according to R. Žemaitaitis, the new training ground in Kapčiamiestis will not change the security situation in Lithuania.

 

“The Kapčiamiestis training ground today does not meet Lithuania’s expectations. We need to prepare society, prepare young people who would be able to use modern technologies. This would be a bigger plus,” he said, adding that Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė is well aware of the “Easterners’” position.

 

“We view it negatively and we expressed it at the Government meeting when there was a consultation, and the Prime Minister knows this very well,” said R. Žemaitaitis.

 

As stated, a brigade-sized training ground is to be established in Kapčiamiestis in order to respond to the modernization of the army, the growing number of conscripts, the developing national division, and the increasing number of allied troops deployed in the country. It is expected that the future training ground will host exercises of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and NATO countries.

 

However, some residents of the Kapčiamiestis eldership expressed a skeptical opinion about this training ground. They were outraged that the decision to establish a military facility in this region was not discussed with the community in advance, that the resulting training ground would disturb the peace of the residents. However, government representatives explain that the creation of the training ground will have a positive impact not only on Lithuania’s national security, but also on attracting investments or developing infrastructure in the region.”