Lithuania’s defense procurement reform package to be tabled to parliament

If passed, the amendments will pave the way for setting up a centralized procurement agency, the Defense Resource Agency. The government is asking the parliament to discuss the bills under a fast-track procedure.

“The Defense Resource Agency is to be fully operational by Jan. 1, 2018. Some procedural steps require amendments to the Law on the Organization of the National Defense System and the Military Service,” Vita Ramanauskaite, spokeswoman for the defense minister, told BNS.

“We will not meet the deadline unless the amendments are passed by the end of this spring session of the Seimas,” she said.

Officials expect that the centralized procurement agency will conduct 75 percent of all acquisitions by the defense system starting next year.