As the Lithuanian military and allied forces are running out of space for training, talks will be held with municipalities about further expansion of military training areas, which may include population relocations, says presidential adviser Kęstutis Budrys.
“We will have further discussions with other municipalities as we will need much more space for training areas, another 15 or 25 [square] kilometres, and we will certainly have situations with local residents where we will have to talk about relocation,” Budrys said on the LRT RADIO show Aktualijų Studija on Tuesday.
“I’m not talking about Tauragė and Šilalė, but about future locations,” he added, referring to two Districts that, under recently approved plans, will host new military training areas.
With the increasing number of conscripts and reservists and the arrival of more allied troops, the need for military infrastructure in Lithuania will only grow, according to Budrys, which means additional inconveniences for local populations.
“Certain things will be a new reality, and everyone in Lithuania needs to understand that, not only those who live in the districts with the existing or planned training areas,” he said. “There will be more troops, there will be more allies, they will be moving around with equipment, and there may be inconveniences.”
Despite opposition from some residents of Tauragė and Šilalė Districts, the Lithuanian parliament gave its initial backing to plans for new training areas in these districts last week.
Local authorities and residents are concerned that the legislation did not specify that the areas would be used for tactical manoeuvring.
The training areas to be established in Tauragė and Šilalė will accommodate military units ranging in size from a company to a battalion, but they will not have the status of a military area and will not have firing ranges, will not be used by heavy military equipment, and will be open to visits by people with permissions.
The training area in Tauragė District will cover 4,304 hectares, and the one in Šilalė District, 2,677 hectares. Works will begin this autumn.
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