Could the state find money for defense by squeezing: what should it give up?

According to the needs of the national defense system, regarding 0.7 percent should be allocated to defense in the next six years. of the gross domestic product (GDP), and in subsequent years – 0.4 percent. more than now.

Calculating according to next year’s forecasted GDP of Lithuania, 0.4 percent. it would be 317.6 million. and 0.7 percent – 555.8 million euros.

The options seen by politicians for where to get these funds have been widely discussed recently: increasing some taxes, borrowing, reducing the shadow.

Skirmantas Lisauskas/BNS photo. Gitanas Nausėda

Among other things, G. Nausėda noted following the meeting with the State Comptroller Mindaugas Macijauskas that it is necessary to identify unnecessary state expenditures and direct them to the defense and social security of the country.

“There are discussions in the country regarding sources of funding for increased defense funding, better health care services, and education.

It is important for participants in political debates to understand that before pulling out of the drawers ideas regarding any universal taxes, we must at the same time ensure and guarantee to the citizens that the collected taxes are used in the most efficient way”, – the head of state was quoted in the press release of the presidency.

Vytautas Mitalas, an elder of the governing Freedom faction of the Seimas, also discussed the fact that one of the sources of additional funding for national defense is a possible revision of state budget expenditures (freezing a certain part of them, reducing unnecessary investment projects).

Suggestions are welcome

Does the Ministry of Finance see opportunities to save more – that is, as the president says, following revising certain public expenses, perhaps not necessary to abandon them, but to direct the funds to defense needs?