A statement from the prime minister’s office followed questions circulating on social media about Lithuania’s absence from the 12 countries that had submitted a request in writing to the European Commission to activate the national escape clause under the Stability and Growth Pact, as part of the ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030 package presented in March 2025.
“At its last sitting on Wednesday, the Government adopted a resolution on Lithuania’s medium-term fiscal structural plan and annual progress report. The resolution authorised the Ministry of Finance to ask the Council of the European Union for additional defence borrowing without breaching the EU’s disciplinary rules,” Tadas Vinokuras, adviser to Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas, told ELTA in a comment.
“That resolution took effect one working day after and is being executed immediately. An official request of the Ministry of Finance will reach the EU Council already today,” he stated.
The European Commission on Wednesday announced a list of countries that had formally applied for conditions allowing additional budgetary space to borrow for defence without violating EU deficit rules.
These are Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia and Slovenia.
“Additional requests are expected to be submitted at a later stage as several member states have expressed their interest to take advantage of this clause,” the statement reads.
MEP Virginijus Sinkevičius shared the news on Facebook Thursday, questioning where Lithuania stood.
“I have no doubt that our Government is also planning to apply, but we are once again trailing behind other EU countries,” he said.