Lithuanian president seeks to strengthen defense amid threats

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite on Wednesday met with members of the parliamentary National Security and Defense Committee to discuss strengthening the country's defense.

"Consistent increase in defense capabilities of the army and the country is the main priority of national security," the President's Office said in an announcement.

She emphasized the need to stick to Lithuania's commitment to increase defense spending and allocate 2 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) on defense as of 2018.

Grybauskaite noted that the Lithuanian national security strategy needs to be updated due to changing geopolitical situation, increasing hybrid, information and cyber threats as well as the migration crisis.

During the meeting, Grybauskaite reiterated that in response to increasing terrorism threats, the European Union needs to ensure a sufficient security of the EU's external borders.

Valdemaras Sarapinas, chief advisor to the Lithuanian president on national security, said the country needs to strengthen its intelligence capabilities, enhance the exchange of information with partnering countries and tighten the rules regarding asylum-seeking.

"It's necessary to establish a reliable crisis management center, thus consolidating capabilities of all state authorities," Serapinas told Lithuanian National Radio LRT after the meeting.

Meanwhile, Arturas Paulauskas, head of the Seimas National Security and Defense Committee, highlighted that Lithuania has to reconsider its crisis management system from scratch.

"We don't have any center, there's only a formal crisis committee. We need to develop an integral and a clear system with a proper hierarchy," Paulauskas told LRT.

Lithuania, a small Baltic State, has been strengthening its defense capabilities in the aftermath of conflicts in Eastern Ukraine. Endit