The Lithuanian parliament Seimas on Tuesday approved a new version of the Law on Riflemen’s Union, providing for an updated model of the organisation and its subordination to the government instead of the defence minister.
The new version of the law was adopted with 90 MPs voting in favour, four against, and 21 abstaining.
“In the new version, we step up the Riflemen’s Union integration into Lithuania’s national defence plans,” Laurynas Kasčiūnas, chairman of the Lithuanian parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defence (NSGK), told BNS.
“From now on, the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union will be an even stronger organisation, in which every active and responsible citizen will be able to find a place. I have no doubt that the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union will be one of the strongest pillars of the general defence,” he added after the vote.
According to Kasčiūnas, the new version of the law will increase interaction between the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union and the country’s armed forces.
“The new law provides for a very clear algorithm where the commander of the Riflemen’s Union notifies the chief of defence that there is a group of the kinetic riflemen able to perform second-line functions, protect facilities, fight against sabotage groups, and ensure territorial protection in municipalities and that it should be integrated into defence plans,” he said.
The new draft version of the law also provides for new types of riflemen: the so-called kinetic riflemen platoons for armed resistance and the so-called non-kinetic riflemen for unarmed resistance, in addition to existing combat platoons and young riflemen.
According to the new version of the law, the Riflemen’s Union will take part in the armed defence of the state and civil resistance during martial law. It also provides for the establishment of a training centre to improve riflemen’s readiness.
Moreover, the new draft version of the law stipulates that the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union will become subordinate to the government instead of the defence minister, who is now responsible for appointing the commander of the union and approving its statute.
According to the proposed law, the government would set up an advisory council for coordinating the activities of the Riflemen’s Union. The council would address strategic issues of the union, assess its activities, as well as issue recommendations and proposals.
The Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union currently has approximately 13,000 members and their number is expected to increase to 50,000 after the adoption of the new version of the law and increased financing.
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