Overview
- The minister submitted her resignation after Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė said trust was undermined, while President Gitanas Nausėda held consultations that paused an immediate dismissal.
- An internal Defense Ministry session warned journalists about expected budget cuts; Dovilė Šakalienė said she did not organize the meeting but defended staff for upholding a strong defense stance.
- Reports say the Finance Ministry’s 2026 draft would fall below a previously signaled 5% of GDP and redirect some funds to infrastructure, a shift Šakalienė said would force planned procurements to be dropped.
- Coalition partner Nemuno Aušra has pressed to cap spending at 5% and delay rebuilding a Lithuanian division, as protests escalate over the party’s influence and its leader faces trial for antisemitic remarks.
- Local media name deputy Karolis Aleksa as the most likely successor, while the debate unfolds against a tense security backdrop near Belarus and Kaliningrad and following a summer explosive‑drone incident.