“For the time being, we do not have any questions about the issue of withdrawing from the defense agreement,” the politician told Žiniai Radio on Friday.
The opposition Democratic Union “Vardan Lietuvos” announced on Thursday that it is withdrawing from the parliamentary parties’ agreement on defense. Such a decision was made by the party at the stage of submission to the Seimas after voting for the connection of the Public Security Service (PSS) to the police. According to them, this reform weakens the national defense.
At that time, R. Karbauskis claimed that he doubted that the connection of VST to the police would have a significant impact on national security.
“I am a bit surprised by the connection of that issue (connection of VST to the police – BNS) with the agreement on national security. Their motive is that security is allegedly being harmed, but the institutions themselves and their goals are not entirely directly related to defense,” said the leader of LVŽS.
“I think it is perhaps more related to the fact that Saulius Skvernelis (leader of the Democrats – BNS) has some personal connections with certain officials who may suffer in this reform or something similar. As far as I know him, he very often makes decisions when his personal interests, his personal friends get in the way. All politics are friends of friends, the system is created that way, and apparently there are people in the party who were either in that structure,” said R. Karbauskis.
“Here it is a matter of their conscience, how they think it will be. On the other hand, I don’t think there is a big loss for this agreement, because that agreement is supported by everyone,” he added.
R. Karbauskis and S. Skvernelis were comrades in the last term, together they participated in the 2016 Seimas elections and formed the Government after them. In 2020, S. Skvernelis was elected to the parliament on the list of the LVŽS, but in 2021 he and several comrades left the “peasants” and founded the Democratic faction in the Seimas, later the party.
Last year, on July 15, representatives of eight parliamentary parties signed the agreement on defense and national security. Later, the opposition Union of Lithuanian Peasants and Greens, which initially did not sign the document, joined the agreement, as it opposed the policy of the rulers in principle.
The parties agreed to allocate no less than 2.5 percent to national defense. financing of the size of the gross domestic product (GDP) and increasing it according to the needs of the national defense system, increasing the number of conscripts.
It is also committed to accelerate the formation of the reserve, to achieve that the active reserve in 2030 will be up to 50 thousand. soldiers, to strengthen the Union of Riflemen, to train citizens for resistance, to create cyber forces as a separate type of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, and the like.
The parties’ agreement on defense is valid until 2030.
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#R.Karbauskis #Valstėiai #withdrawing #parties #agreement #defense
**Interview with R. Karbauskis, Leader of LVŽS**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us today, Mr. Karbauskis. Recently, your party, the Democratic Union “Vardan Lietuvos,” announced its withdrawal from the parliamentary parties’ agreement on defense. Can you explain the reasoning behind this decision?
**R. Karbauskis:** Thank you for having me. The decision was made in light of concerns that the connection of the Public Security Service to the police would undermine national defense. We believe that this reform could weaken our security framework, which prompted our withdrawal from the agreement.
**Interviewer:** Interesting view on the matter. You mentioned that you were surprised by the connection drawn between this reform and the national security agreement. Could you elaborate on that?
**R. Karbauskis:** Certainly. The argument made by the opposition is that the reform compromises security; however, the institutions involved don’t directly relate to national defense. I think the motives behind linking these issues may stem from personal interests within the political sphere, particularly concerning Saulius Skvernelis.
**Interviewer:** You referenced personal connections affecting decision-making. Are you suggesting there’s a conflict of interest at play?
**R. Karbauskis:** Yes, it seems that way. Throughout his tenure, Saulius has often prioritized personal relationships over broader political considerations. This pattern raises questions about the integrity of the reform process.
**Interviewer:** Some have expressed concern that this withdrawal may pose a risk to the agreement itself. Do you share that concern?
**R. Karbauskis:** I don’t see it as a significant loss. The underlying consensus on national security remains strong, and the agreement will likely receive support from the other parties involved. We must focus on the health of the nation’s defense, and I am confident that the essential collaboration will continue.
**Interviewer:** Lastly, given your history with Mr. Skvernelis, do you think this rift could affect future collaborations?
**R. Karbauskis:** Political landscapes are always changing. While there have been disagreements, my priority remains the interest of our nation. If there are opportunities for collaboration that align with our goals for national security, I would remain open to them.
**Interviewer:** Thank you for your insights, Mr. Karbauskis. We appreciate you taking the time to clarify your position on these pivotal issues.
**R. Karbauskis:** Thank you for having me. It’s essential we continue these discussions for the sake of our national security.
