Lithuanian police and border guard agencies seek €350 million extra funding

The Police Department, State Border Guard Service (VSAT), Fire and Rescue Department (PAGD) and Public Security Service (VST) have asked the Ministry of the Interior to allocate almost €350 million more in the next year’s state budget. The Police Department alone requests €168.7 million, with €49.8 million for wages and social guarantees, €88.2 million for material and technical equipment, €3.8 million for daily police functions, €8.4 million for the Lithuanian EU Council presidency and €18.5 million for the public‑security development programme; €13.8 million of this would fund equipment to military standards. PAGD seeks additional funds, projecting a total need of €43.9 million by 2027, of which €12.3 million would cover salary increases. VSAT estimates a total requirement of €252.4 million, needing an extra €134.5 million. Officials stress that officer salaries are rising slower than average wages, making recruitment and retention of firefighters and border guards difficult, and that limited financing delays modernization of equipment, facilities and border‑monitoring systems.