In his address to the participants, the Prime Minister has expressed his delight at Lithuania's tenth anniversary in NATO. "Although we mark the anniversary with arms rattling close by at the borders of Lithuania, today we feel secure. For Lithuania and other Baltic States, NATO fighters that plough our skies are not merely a symbol: they are our real security guarantor and a proof of NATO member states solidarity and responsibility", said the Prime Minister.
Yet, according to the Prime Minister, each flight by a NATO fighter is also a reminder about a threat that is close at hand, therefore it is vital to consistently increase the annual national defence budget. "In March 2014, seven parliamentary parties of Lithuania signed a foreign, security, and defence policy agreement, whereby a commitment was made to consistently increase the annual national defence budget, so that it reaches 2 per cent of GDP in 2020", said the Prime Minister and stated that the national defence budget would be started to be increased this year already.
The Prime Minister emphasized that the Alliance must also feel responsibility for those countries that cannot, as yet, trust the security guaranteed by membership in NATO. "A clear action plan needs to be drafted for the four candidate countries: Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, and Montenegro; and we need further support cooperation and dialogue with our Eastern partners: Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Moldova", said the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister reconfirmed that during the NATO summit, which is to take place in Wales in September, Lithuania will remain solidary as regards strengthening of the collective defence capacities and security of allies, support for Ukraine, and ensuring the reliability of NATO Partnerships and Open Door Policy. "I believe that the Wales summit will issue a strong transatlantic relations declaration that will set guidelines for the functioning of the Alliance in the future", said the Prime Minister.
NATO Parliamentary Assembly is an inter-parliamentary organisation, which serves a forum for members of parliament of NATO member states and associated members of the Assembly as well as partners from other countries to discuss matters of importance to the Alliance and other countries in areas of policy, security, and economy.
The aim of the Assembly is to serve a forum for NATO member state members of parliament and their colleagues from other states to exchange their opinions and ideas, and to look for common solutions to safeguard security and stability.
The event takes place for the second time in Lithuania. It was held for the first time thirteen years ago.
