Lithuania asks European Commission for €1.06 billion under SAFE defence loan programme
In short
Lithuania's Finance Ministry has sent the European Commission a request for a €1.06 billion payment under the EU's SAFE (Security Action for Europe) loan programme. Kommersant reported that the money is meant for army equipment and the Baltic defence line, and that the net transfer would be €905 million after a 15% advance is deducted.
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Lithuania's Finance Ministry has sent the European Commission a request for a payment of €1.06 billion, TASS and RBC reported. RBC said the request falls under the SAFE (Security Action for Europe) military lending programme. TASS, citing the ministry, said the money would pay for combat systems and other equipment. [ 1 , 2 ]
Kommersant gave more detail. It reported that the funds are meant to equip a land forces division with combat and logistics systems, create the Baltic defence line and develop the infrastructure of Lithuania's armed forces. It described SAFE as a temporary EU programme of concessional loans. [ 3 ]
According to Kommersant, a 15% advance was received at the end of June. With that advance deducted, the total transfer would be €905 million. Once the request is approved, Lithuania will have drawn €1.86 billion, or 29% of its loan limit of €6.375 billion. Kommersant wrote that the funds are expected to arrive in two months. [ 3 ]
Why it matters
If the request is approved, Lithuania will have drawn €1.86 billion, or 29% of its €6.375 billion SAFE loan limit, according to Kommersant. The documents give no further assessment of its significance.
Key facts
- Lithuania's Finance Ministry sent the European Commission a request for a payment of €1.06 billion. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The request falls under the SAFE (Security Action for Europe) military lending programme. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The money is to pay for combat systems and other equipment, the ministry said. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Kommersant reported that the funds are meant to equip a land forces division with combat and logistics systems, create the Baltic defence line and develop the infrastructure of Lithuania's armed forces. [ 3 ]
- Kommersant reported that after a 15% advance received at the end of June is deducted, the total transfer would be €905 million. [ 3 ]
- Kommersant reported that Lithuania's limit under the loan programme is €6.375 billion. [ 3 ]
- Kommersant reported that the funds are expected to arrive in two months. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether the Commission will approve the request. Kommersant describes what will happen after approval, and no document reports a decision.
- The exact breakdown of the spending, the net transfer and the timing of payment. Only Kommersant gives the €905 million net figure, the planned uses and the two-month expectation, and its text is partly cut off.