A group of Lithuanian lawmakers has proposed reducing next year’s planned defence spending from 5.38 percent of GDP to 5 percent and redirecting the difference to domestic security and road maintenance.
The proposal was submitted by Rimas Jonas Jankūnas, Jaroslav Narkevič and Bronis Ropė of the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union and the Christian Families Alliance, Aidas Gedvilas and Lina Sukytė-Korsakė of Nemunas Dawn, and Vitalijus Šeršniovas of the group of non-attached members.
Under the government’s draft 2026 budget, defence is set to receive 4.8 billion euros. The MPs propose allocating 4.5 billion euros instead and diverting 346.76 million euros to internal security agencies and road infrastructure.
Jankūnas, who initiated the proposal, told BNS that the move would enhance Lithuania’s safety because “domestic security is in a dire state”.
“The idea that a higher percentage automatically makes us safer is wrong, because unfortunately we keep failing to learn from history,” Jankūnas said.
The lawmakers argue that under the current draft, public safety will suffer due to a shortage of police officers and other law enforcement personnel and inadequate funding for their operations. They also cite deteriorating roads and bridges, saying current allocations fail to keep pace with inflation.
The MPs say Lithuania’s defence spending should align with NATO commitments agreed at the alliance’s summit in The Hague, where members pledged to dedicate 5 percent of GDP to security by 2035, including 3.5 percent for the military and 1.5 percent for other security-related spending, such as cybersecurity and dual-use transport infrastructure.
“I think that agreement should be respected, because it was certainly not fools who signed it,” Jankūnas said.
On Tuesday, Nemunas Dawn leader Remigijus Žemaitaitis said the draft budget submitted to parliament differs from what the ruling coalition partners had agreed upon. He argued that the State Border Guard Service and the police should receive more funding.
Žemaitaitis also said the coalition had agreed to allocate additional funds for road maintenance and to allow citizens to purchase bonds to help replenish the Road Fund.
He warned that if Nemunas Dawn’s proposals are ignored, the group may refuse to back the budget in parliament.
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