Environment and Agriculture Ministers Simonas Gentvilas and Kęstutis Navickas support the Ministry of Finance's proposal to increase the excise duty on fuel.

Among other proposals, the ministry has put forward an initiative to finance the protection of land.

„(I view – BNS) positively. (...) War is also unpredictable, unfortunately, but nobody predicted that 3% (of GDP – BNS) would be needed for defence, so here we have to buy that „Kasko“ insurance for the state and invest it, “, – S. Gentvilas said on Wednesday at the š meeting of the Government BNS.

„Krašto protection is like „Kasko“ for a car or property insurance for a house and the main assets, nobody predicted that such a situation would arise and that there would be no money for it. These are temporary charges, some justified for sure," he added.

According to Navickas, it is up to everyone to contribute to increased defence funding.

„There is still (BNS) a big discussion before the decision is taken, but we have to reflect the šgeopolitical situation today and solidarity, if we are talking about solidarity, then it has to be for all sectors, not štošallocate to“ any one“, &ndashas Navickas told journalists.

The Agriculture Minister also added that he was not afraid that the farmers who protested against fuel excise duty in January this year would be outraged by the šneedš.

„If we protest now, whether to defend the state, it aš really I am not afraid“, – said the politician.

According to the Finance Ministry's proposal, the excise duty on petrol, diesel and green diesel used by farmers would include an additional defence component of 6 cents per litre. The Ministry estimates that this would raise around €126 million annually.

Defence funding is to be increased to 3% of Gross Domestic Product in order to accelerate the development of a division in the Lithuanian army and to host a German brigade.