Press release, 16 December 2014
The Seimas has adopted, under the special urgency procedure, the new version of the Law on Approval of the Statute on Use of Combat Weaponry in the National Defence System by 81 votes in favour, with none against and 1 abstention. The Statute defines the general principles, cases and scope of the use of military force and establishes the procedure for the adoption of decisions to use it. It also provides for the rights of soldiers when performing the tasks of the armed forces in peacetime and formulates the concept of military force.
The objective of the Law is to respond to the changes in the geopolitical situation and have the means to face a new type of threats of unconventional warfare. It is about the possibility to use the army in response to local armed incidents and violations of the state border, which by their nature do not amount to aggression, said Artūras Paulauskas, Chair of the Committee on National Security and Defence.
According to the Chair of the Committee, there may be various provocations by non-state armed organisations or attacks by armed groups, illegal crossings of the state border, violation of the military transit procedures or unrest leading to armed incidents and threatening our national security.
For these reasons, the need arises for troops to operate and be able to respond immediately to such threats and have the appropriate capability, argued Mr Paulauskas.
The Statute governs the use of military force in the territory of the Republic of Lithuania. It provides that the decision concerning the use of the military in response to local armed incidents and state border violations, which, by their very nature, do not amount to acts of aggression, will be adopted by the President of the Republic of Lithuania. This decision of the President of the Republic enters into force from the moment of its adoption and is immediately enforceable. The President of the Republic submits the decision to the next sitting of the Seimas. The Seimas may approve or annul the decision of the President.
In this case, military force is used taking into account the purpose and duration of its use, as provided in the Presidents decision, in the territory, which acquires a military status. In this territory, state and municipal authorities perform their functions in coordination with the Chief of Defence of the Republic of Lithuania or his authorised person in accordance with the procedure laid down by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.
The Chair of the Committee noted that, in accordance with the current Statute, the armed forces may provide assistance to various institutions or upon request from the municipality. Their capabilities, however, are very limited, since soldiers can use arms only for self-defence.
Saulė Eglė Trembo, Public Relations Unit, Communications Department, Office of the Seimas,
tel. +370 5 239 6203, e-mail: [email protected]
