20 military mobility projects in Lithuania would need EUR 4b - ministry

VILNIUS - Lithuania's Defense Ministry has identified over 20 military mobility projects under development in Lithuania that would require 4 billion euros, with the largest share going to the Via Baltica project, the ministry said on Thursday.

"The European Union's budgeting and planning must be based on a wartime mentality. Lithuania has identified more than 20 military mobility infrastructure projects worth 4 billion euros, of which the Via Baltica project should receive the largest share," Defense Vice Minister Orijana Masale told a meeting of the transport ministers from the Bucharest Nine Central and Eastern European countries in Vilnius earlier this week.

"These projects will further improve the movement of military equipment and ensure compatibility with EU and NATO requirements," she said, adding that efficient military mobility "is not a luxury but an absolute necessity" for European security.

According to Masale, Lithuania's priority in the area of military mobility is land transport infrastructure, including roads and railways. However, she said, Lithuania's capabilities in this area alone are not sufficient.

"We need to ensure consistent funding from the Connecting Europe Facility, have a smoothly functioning network of military mobility corridors, deepen cooperation between the EU and NATO to unify and streamline military mobility operations, and implement solutions to protect critical infrastructure by increasing resilience and security against hybrid threats," the vice minister pointed out.