Lithuanian PM not worried about possible coalition collapse

VILNIUS - Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene says she's not worried about a possible collapse of the ruling coalition after Mindaugas Sinkevicius, the leader of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party, said that an unsuccessful vote on the budget in the Seimas would mean the "death" of the coalition.

"I'm simply not even worried about it right now. I think the most important thing for us is to focus on our work, and that's what I said from the very first minute I took this position. The program, the work - that's why I came here. Not to play all kinds of behind-the-scenes games, but to work," the prime minister told the LRT Radio.

Sinkevicius spoke about a possible collapse of the coalition in response to doubts expressed by Remigijus Zemaitaitis, the leader of the Nemunas Dawn party, about supporting next year's budget.

"People who share our views and have also come here to work for the welfare of Lithuanian citizens will walk side by side with us. Those who believe that other things are more important will probably not be able to walk with us," Ruginiene said.

Zemaitaitis, for his part, claims that the draft budget for next year presented to the Seimas is not the one agreed upon by the ruling coalition partners, so he may not support it. In his words, the State Border Guard Service and the police should receive more funding, and funds for these purposes could be allocated from the appropriations earmarked for defense.

The prime minister refrained to comment on such proposals. On the other hand, she says she understands national defense spending in a broader sense than just financing the needs of the army.

"I don't evaluate anything, and I think there are many politicians in Lithuania who can evaluate and comment on this politician's statements. I am focused on my work," Ruginiene pointed out.

"We understand defense in a broad sense. When we talk about national defense, we are not only referring to the military, but also the State Border Guard Service, law enforcement officers, and other institutions that must be prepared for when the day comes. And our strategic plan boils down to the fact that every Lithuanian citizen must be prepared for the most difficult moment," the prime minister said.

In the 2026 budget, the government plans to allocate 5.38 percent of GDP, or 4.8 billion euros, to national defense, which is the largest defense spending in Lithuania's history.

However, the opposition fears that these funds may be used for purposes other than meeting the needs of the army, which poses a threat to the timely development of the planned army division.