G. Nausėda: the state could borrow for temporary defense projects Business

According to him, financing should be mixed – borrowing for short-term defense projects, while continuing, long-term projects are financed from the defense tax.

“I think we need to take a mixed approach. For those projects that are temporary or one-time, borrowing is also suitable. For those projects that are continuous and require constant financial resources, the idea of ​​a defense tax may also be suitable,” G. Nausėda told reporters in Šiauliai on Thursday, when asked regarding the business initiative to allocate 4 percent to defense. gross domestic product (GDP).

The President said that Lithuania has room to borrow more.

“We should talk regarding a number of alternatives, including borrowing. By the way, both last year and this year we achieved that borrowing condition of up to 3%. GDP. It was not used last year, I hope it will be done this year,” said the president.

According to G. Nausėda, the “4 percent” initiative is welcome, but the business itself should be in solidarity and also contribute to additional expenses for defense. However, value added tax for defense should not be increased, he said.

“If it is proposed to increase funding by increasing the value-added tax, every student of economics will say that it is a consumer tax, a tax paid by the population, which is not paid by business,” said the president.

“We would like the financing of our defense to be socially just,” said G. Nausėda.