2024-04-17 08:19:23
“I don’t know, maybe what bacillus appeared there (at the Ministry of National Defense – ELTA), because you got infected with it.” I remember when you criticized your colleague that he does not visit the committee, does not present his ideas, and is the first to speak after running somewhere – you did exactly the same thing today. Before that, you spoke about your idea, you made a press conference – a good show like that – now for the parliament, and then only for NSGK”, said D. Gaižauskas during the meeting.
“Aren’t you afraid that the next minister of national defense, since it is not coordinated, will cancel everything, because he has a completely different vision, and you will throw money down the drain?” – asked the MP.
For his part, L. Kasčiūnas admitted that this issue could have been presented to NSGK earlier. However, according to him, the boycott of committee meetings that lasted for several months prevented the possibility of doing so.
“Yes, I admit a little bit, I feel heartache that I could not come to NSGK a little earlier. I accept, I will come tomorrow. But it was also determined by the objective circumstances that the committee was in such an uncertain situation for a couple of weeks”, said L. Kasčiūnas.
“Forgive me, the next time we start with something new, we will definitely go to NSGK first,” he added.
The minister drew attention to the fact that the committee supported the commandant’s initiative for a long time. Therefore, the minister believes that this initiative will have support even after the change of the leadership of the Ministry of National Defense (KAM).
A. Anušauskas questioned whether the additional functions would not complicate the work of conscription centers
For his part, the former Minister of National Defense Arvydas Anušauskas asked whether the additional functions would not complicate the work of conscription centers.
“Won’t adding additional functions to conscription centers in this case reduce their main task of conscripting people into the army?” asked A. Anušauskas.
However, L. Kasčiūnas did not agree, stressing that this would provide the conscription centers with a network of additional people.
“It’s just a very smart decision, because they are responsible for both mobilization and recruiting people into the army, and now they will have an additional network of people who will be able to perform the rear functions, which is the system. This is a system with some at least partial training,” said L. Kasčiūnas.
“A person who has been with a gun, was in military readiness, has more fire in his heart and the will to resist.” It is in this place, I think, that step towards universal defense (…) is necessary. It could certainly have been done earlier, but we are doing it now,” he added.
The minister assured that the commandant’s office will not cost anything.
“The structure is already there. Military supply services are operational. There will simply be an internal transformation – there will be internal responsible people, officers, who will also be engaged in military commandantships. Here is a redistribution of internal resources, a realignment, so that those headquarters can start functioning,” he emphasized.
According to the Ministry, a new structure of military commandants will be created during peacetime on the basis of the Military Conscription and Manpower Service and commandants of the Lithuanian Army.
Commandant headquarters and commandant units are currently filled with soldiers of professional military service assigned to conscripts of the prepared reserve, as well as commandant riflemen of the Lithuanian Rifle Association. It is planned that they will also be filled with civilian persons who want to contribute to the defense of the state. According to the Ministry, during peacetime, their military training in war commandant units will be ensured by the National Defense Volunteer Forces.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs that citizens who want to contribute to the defense of the state and acquire military skills can register at the nearest Conscription and Manpower Service unit. Registration for peacetime commando units will start from May 1 this year and will continue until August 31. It is planned that military training will begin in the military units of the military commandantships already in October.
ELTA reminds that the new Minister of National Defense L. Kasčiūnas, upon starting his work at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, assured that he would solve the issue of the commandantar system within the first month.
Until now, it has been proposed that the commandant’s office should be an institution that, after the introduction of martial law, would support the commandant, provide him with suggestions, administer the turnover of human resources and ensure the execution of other tasks assigned to the military commandant by the commander of the armed forces.
2024-04-17 08:19:23