Lithuanian arms and ammunition manufacturers are calling on the government to order more weapons from local manufacturers, saying that bureaucracy and giving preference to Western manufacturers are weakening the country’s defense industry.
Although Lithuania is increasingly testing domestically produced weapons in Ukraine, the government is still focusing on attracting foreign companies. Local defense industry companies have called on the government to commit to purchasing some of its weapons from Lithuanian manufacturers and to lift restrictions on imports.
Robertas Juodka, a member of the board of the Defense and Security Industry Association, told the Seimas Economic Commission that Lithuanians cannot sell drones to the British army because the law does not allow the export of drones equipped with explosives produced by another company. Jodka pointed out that this is absurd, since selling drones to the UK is considered to be supporting terrorism, while Italians and Estonians are allowed to sell drones.
Vincas Jurgutis, a defense industry lobbyist and former deputy minister of the economy, criticized the government for its failure to purchase local products even after supporting the development of manufacturers. He suggested that
at least 5-10% of defense procurement should be focused on Lithuanian manufacturers.
Arvydas Anušauskas, a former Lithuanian defense minister and member of parliament, admitted that the country purchases too little locally produced weapons. Valdas Žala, a Lithuanian ammunition manufacturer, suggested that procurement agencies should include a requirement for local manufacturers in procurement documents.
Defense Ministry Secretary Dainius Ivoškis told MPs that the government is purchasing more Lithuanian-made weapons, which are then sent to Ukraine for field testing, but higher hopes are being placed on foreign companies.
Deputy Economy Minister Povilas Petrauskas said that Lithuania is currently developing 12 new investment projects with foreign defense industry companies. Their total value exceeds one billion euros, and the main investors are from Ukraine, Germany, France and Canada.
More than 200 companies are currently engaged in the defense industry in Lithuania, and 23 of them export all of their production.
Read the full article in English here: https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2721410/lithuanian-arms-makers-criticise-government-for-not-buying-locally
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