Paulauskas calls for cut in defense spending

VILNIUS – Activists of the New Union (Social Liberals) collected 87,000 signatures of Lithuanian citizens on a petition demanding a change of the law on state and municipalities for the 2000 budget. The petition demands a transfer of 148 million litas ($37 million) from defense spending to education. However, state authorities and political observers say there is no chance to fulfill this demand.

On March 16 the delegation of Social Liberals presented the signatures to the General Election Commission charged with checking the authenticity of signatures. According to the Lithuanian constitution, 50,000 citizens have the right to initiate hearings in Parliament on proposed changes in laws.MPs are obliged to discuss this petition and can agree with it or reject it.

Vytautas Landsbergis, parliamentary chairman and leader of the ruling Conservative Party was angered by the initiative. He said Russian politicians dream about the "re-creation of the Soviet Union" and added, "the New Union works in this direction in Lithuania."

Landsbergis said that the signature-collection proves it.

"It is action seeking to stop the achievements of Lithuania on its road to NATO," Landsbergis said in a press conference on March 13.

Arturas Paulauskas, leader of the New Union, rejected such accusations at a press conference the next day.

"If Landsbergis would not be the parliamentary chairman, it would be possible to say that a man sees ghosts or has some health problems. Studying law, I had a medicine course and exam. So, I have some knowledge about it," Paulauskas said. He was the first prosecutor general of Lithuania after the restoration of its independence in1990.

Paulauskas said the foreign policy goals of his New Union are Lithuania's membership in NATO and the European Union. He said that NATO is interested in the social stability of its future member and should understand his initiative. Paulauskas stated that Lithuania's education is suffering from low state financing.

The New Union is represented in the Parliament just by one MP, Vida Stasiunaite.

She said that defense spending should be corrected. Stasiunaite said more than half of defense money goes for building of barracks and other infrastructure.

Paulauskas echoed that the New Union is not against planned purchases of guns for the Lithuanian army, but his party is against spending too much money on military construction.

Paulauskas did not deny that action of the New Union is related to the current municipality election campaign and coming parliamentary elections this fall.

President Valdas Adamkus rejected the initiative of the Social Liberals. His office said the president is against cuts in defense spending.

Lithuanias defense expenditure amounted to 0.8 percent of GDP in 1997, 1.51 percent in 1999 and should reach 2 percent in 2001. This level was set by law in 1998. NATO leaders applauded this law when it passed through Lithuanian Parliament.

Jonas Kronkaitis, commander of the Lithuanian armed forces, criticized law proposed by the New Union.

"It would be the biggest mistake. It would send a wrong signal to Lithuania's allies and would postpone our membership in NATO," Kronkaitis said. "After two years Lithuania can become a full-member of NATO. I don't see the reason why we should delay this membership."

Adamkus said Lithuania would become a NATO member before the end of his term expiring in 2003.

The changes proposed by the New Union's petition has no chance for passage in the current Parliament dominated by center-right parties, political analysts say.