"For Lithuanian people the Air Policing Mission in the Baltics has been symbolizing strong commitment to defend the Baltic States since the first day of our membership in NATO. I want to take this opportunity to most sincerely thank all the soldiers who have guarded the airspace over the Baltic States for 11 years," said the Lithuanian Foreign Minister in the meeting with the Italian and Polish soldiers.
Additional fighters that were deployed in Ämari Air Base, Estonia, have been contributed to the Baltic Air Policing Mission by Spain.
"This mission sets a great example of the Alliance solidarity and smart defence. By protecting the airspace over Lithuania and other Baltic States you contribute to the security enhancement of the region, as well as all member states of the Alliance in Europe," said Linkevičius.
According to the Foreign Minister, we will see more signs of the NATO presence in the near future in Lithuania. NATO international headquarters are to be established in Lithuania this year to coordinate the arrival of the very high Readiness Force (the Spearhead Force) and participation in the exercises, the rotational forces of the Alliance and military equipment will be deployed later.
Lithuania's Foreign Minister underlined that taking into account the geo-political changes Lithuania had also taken emergency steps to reinforce the country's defence. Compared with 2013, Lithuania has increased its defence funding by 60%, adopted amendments to the law returning the initial mandatory service in the military and actively enhanced the capacity of NATO and the EU in the field of European information security.
"Continuing aggression of Russia in eastern Ukraine these days furthermore implies great importance of our membership in NATO and reminds us that along with our allies we have to be always ready to defend our independence, as well as that of all members of the Alliance," said Linkevičius.
Eleven years ago, on 29 March 2004, Lithuanian Prime Minister Algirdas M. Brazauskas together with Prime Ministers of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia presented ratification instruments of the Washington Treaty to the U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell. On that day Lithuania became a full-fledged member of NATO.
