Concerned about security, the Ministry of Interior is preparing to take over plots near the Aviation base in Šiauliai

These parcels are part of the 18 ha territory in Šiauliai, where it is planned to expand the military infrastructure needed to host NATO allies in Lithuania.

On Wednesday, the Government approved the inclusion of this territory and the territory located in Ukmerge in the list of military infrastructure necessary to ensure the support of the host country. Adding infrastructure to this list eases the bureaucratic burden of developing it.

Military infrastructure will be created in Šiauliai to ensure the safety of allied aviation capabilities – aircraft, equipment and personnel – deployed at the Air Force Base of the Air Force of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and to perform support functions of the host country, according to the documents submitted by the Ministry of National Defense.

According to the ministry, the Šiauliai military airfield is intended to be one of the main routes for Allied reinforcements to enter Lithuania in the event of the need for armed defense.

“Allies, when assessing the host country’s ability to ensure the host country’s overall services, also take into account the ability to ensure the security of personnel, equipment and information. In this regard, comments and negative assessments are received at all levels due to the unsatisfactory security situation related to the insufficient distance from the perimeter border to critical infrastructure,” says the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

She claims that the border of one plot is too close to the taxiway and one of the platforms, where not only cargo but also reconnaissance aircraft with particularly sensitive reconnaissance and communication equipment are deployed.

According to the ministry, this has a negative impact on decisions regarding the deployment of allies’ capabilities in Šiauliai, and in order to improve the situation, it is necessary to expand the territory of the Šiauliai military airfield, which is part of the territory of the international military airport in Šiauliai.

The territory intended for military infrastructure is located next to the airfield, it also includes two plots belonging to individuals and legal entities. According to the ministry, a plot of private land belonging to a natural person is located in the territory of the Šiauliai International Military Airport between the area controlled by the army and the area controlled by the Šiauliai Airport.

“The said parcel of private land is extremely close to Runway ‘R’ and might be used for undesirable activities that might pose a threat to Air Force Air Force Base personnel, aircraft and equipment.” Preventing these threats on a private plot would be difficult, both legally and physically, because access to a plot of land owned by a person is ensured by an established road easement,” the ministry says.

According to her, the construction of military infrastructure intended for the deployment of allies is planned near the mentioned plot of land.

“In order to ensure the integrity of the perimeter of the military territory and the protection of the aviation and land capabilities deployed (possible to deploy) at the Air Force base, it is necessary to control the threats arising from the private plot of land interspersed in the military territory, it is necessary to ensure military control of this plot of land, therefore it must be taken for public needs”. – indicates KAM.

Officials are also worried regarding a plot of land belonging to a legal entity, located close to the platform, where military personnel of the Lithuanian army and allies, including special purpose aircraft and equipment, are kept.

“The adjacent piece of land allows for undesirable activities that might pose a threat to personnel, aircraft and equipment on the MA3 apron.” In order to control the listed threats and to ensure adequate safety of the aircraft, equipment and personnel on the MA3 platform, it is necessary to expand the controlled territory of LK KOP AB and to move the perimeter boundaries to a safe distance (to eliminate the possibility of physically affecting the aircraft, equipment and personnel on the MA3 platform)” , the ministry says.

The Government’s list of military infrastructure needed to ensure the support of the host country also includes a territory of regarding 192.5 ha in the Ukmergė district, where it is planned to build infrastructure for allied soldiers stationed in Lithuania.

Earlier, the ministry told BNS that discussions with partners are ongoing, conditions are being discussed, so they did not comment on these plans in detail.

According to the Ministry of National Defense, this territory was chosen taking into account the fact that conditions will be created here for individual and collective military training, in addition, it is close to the main road Vilnius-Panevėžys and military training grounds: it is 40 km from the Gaižiūnai training ground in the Jonava district, and from the training ground of General Silvestro Žukauskas in Pabrade – 90 kilometers.

In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Berlin undertook to move a brigade of soldiers to Lithuania by 2027. In turn, Vilnius promised to prepare the necessary infrastructure for this.