Press Release, 8 May 2012
Irena Degutienė, Speaker of the Seimas, welcomes the agreement reached between the largest parliamentary parties, which provides for the commitment to seek the allocation of 2 per cent of GDP to defence.
I am satisfied with the document having been signed by the leaders of almost all the parties represented at the parliament; I initiated consultations to that end some time ago. With the upcoming NATO summit in Chicago, it is particularly important to confirm that Lithuania meets its international commitments and is ready to deliver despite possible changes in the government, says Irena Degutienė.
The Speaker is saddened, however, by several political parties that find this agreement insignificant and notes that the parties may accede to the agreement in the future.
I dont know the reasons why the leaders of the Lithuanian Polish Election Action and the Lithuanian Peasant and Greens Union did not want to accede, and I am saddened by their decision.
The appropriate funding of the defence sector was among the issues discussed at the meetings with Senator McCain, Member of the US Senate Committee on Armed Services and the Republican presidential candidate, during his recent visit to Vilnius.
The US Senator then wished good luck with the signing of the agreement between the parties.
Juozas Ruzgys, Adviser to the Speaker
