Lithuanian parlt committee puts up proposals for updated national security strategy

  • 2021-01-28
  • BNS/TBT Staff

VILNIUS – Lithuania's parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defense (CNSD) is submitting proposals for an updated National Security Strategy to the government for consideration. 

Laurynas Kasciunas, the conservative chairman of the CNSD, says the updated wording of the strategy, which places emphasis on threats from Russia and China, and on the COVID-19 pandemic-related challenges, will be submitted to the government on Thursday and is expected to be finally approved by the Seimas in June.

The committee wants the document to set out "goals and response measures", rather than being "yet another sectoral strategy" that only identifies threats, dangers and risk factors, according to Kasciunas.

"We'll achieve a comprehensive security model (...) when ministries such as the ministries of education and social security do not think that security is only a matter for the ministries of national defense and foreign affairs," the chairman told a news conference. 

Lithuania should focus on its priorities when it comes to threats, rather than "talking about everything", Kasciunas said. 

"We have to talk about what we can do and what threats we can neutralize," he added. 

According to the MP, the proposals were on Thursday sent to the Cabinet and the Defense Ministry. After the strategy is approved by the president-chaired State Defense Council, the document will go back to the CNSD, which will then amend it, if needed, and submit it to the full Seimas. 

Kasciunas expects the updated strategy to be adopted by the Seimas at the end of the spring session, "probably in June".