US EditionLithuanian defence minister resigns in military spending dispute
Dovilė Šakalienė resigns amid controversy over defence budget briefings and loss of trust from Prime Minister and party leaders, with defence spending set at 5.38% of GDP.
- On Tuesday, Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė decided to resign after Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė publicly signalled wavering confidence and said she will discuss her draft resignation with the president.
- An informal Defence Ministry briefing for social media influencers prompted controversy after Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė last week demanded an explanation over alleged defence-industry links and online claims about the 5% GDP defence pledge.
- Earlier Monday, Ruginienė announced the Defence Ministry would lose responsibility for overseeing the defence industry, shifting the portfolio to the Finance Ministry and Economy and Innovation ministries .
- Defending her record, Dovilė Šakalienė, Lithuanian Defence Minister, said she will consult her team before stepping down and cited political loss of trust from party leaders as decisive.
- The latest draft state budget earmarks 5% of GDP, or €4.79 billion, for defence next year, up from October's 4%.
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35 Articles
“A month ago, I had hoped to be able to collaborate with the leadership of the government, but unfortunately it is not possible. We have a different understanding of the principles to strengthen the defense.” With these words, Lithuania’s Minister of Defence, Dovile Sakaliene, has resigned because of the withdrawal of the government budget, an Executive led by Ingrida Simonyte, in office, since the withdrawal of Gintautas Paluckas last August on…
RTV Slovenija
sta.siLithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene has dismissed Defense Minister Dovile Šakaliene following a dispute over defense spending in next year's budget. She has since claimed that she resigned of her own accord.
"It is sad that I have to make this decision and it is certainly a difficult moment for me as Prime Minister," Inga Rugginienė stressed.
ABC FOX Montana
Lithuanian defence minister resigns in military spending dispute
Lithuania's Defence Minister Dovile Sakaliene resigned Wednesday following a dispute with the prime minister over military spending in the key NATO member.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda signed a decree on Wednesday removing Social Democrat Dovile Sakaliene from the position of Defense Minister.
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