Lithuanian parliament to start hearing conscription bill

DELFI / Tomas Vinickas

The Cabinet has proposed to the bill which will envisage drafting around 3,500 young men each year for the duration of five years.

All in all, three votes on the new law are needed for its adoption.

Army commanders say partial conscription will allow filling army units and train a reserve.

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė says she is expecting the Seimas to demonstrate enough political will and responsibility to pass the bill.

She stressed that the current geopolitical situation makes Lithuania to address the shortage in its armed forces as soon as possible.

“In terms of geopolitical threats, this necessity is very real. Threats are next to our borders and ensuring national security should be not only our priority but also a duty for us,” the president said to the national radio LRT.

According to Major General Jonas Vytautas Žukas, Chief of Defence of Lithuania, the actual manning of battalions is very poor as only two of them are in fact manned more than 50 percent.

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