The government has chosen who will build the fence on the border: the commission to supervise the process will be headed by Šimonytė herself

According to Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė, the resolution established a clear sequence of mandates and responsibilities for the project.

“This choice was made when evaluating the experience and practical readiness of state-controlled companies for a project of this scale and complexity. Such was the consensus of the Cabinet of Ministers that this company could really fulfill this task.

As you know, this is not a business endeavor from which a state-controlled company can make any profit; it is not a legal requirement. It would be seen as a rewarding obligation, but it is not a competitive activity, ”the prime minister said at a press conference on Monday.

Other companies may participate in the hiring more as contractors or subcontractors, according to her.

“The activities here will be full of hands, and perhaps not only for the Lithuanian issue,” noted I. Šimonytė.

As I. Šimonytė pointed out, the border construction contract will be supervised by an inter-institutional supervision commission formed by resolution of the Government. The Interinstitutional Commission will be chaired by the Prime Minister herself and will be made up of ministers from the relevant fields and heads of the competent authorities.

“The speed, cost and transparency of this project are very important to us as a Government. We have no doubt that the company will be able to ensure that these three requirements are met at the same time, “said the Prime Minister.

The Head of Government stressed that representatives of the parliament could also participate as observers.

Specifically, the Audit Committee, which supervises both public finances and the efficiency of public administration in general, and is chaired by a representative of the opposition. In this way, the right of the opposition to participate in the deliberations related to the project as an observer would be guaranteed ”, said the Prime Minister.

According to I. Šimonytė, other Seimas committees whose activities are related to the project will be able to participate in the commission’s activities as observers: representatives of the National Defense and Defense and Budget and Finance Committees.

“This commission would periodically evaluate the progress of the project, take certain decisions if they were necessary due to acquisitions or other actions related to the project,” said the Prime Minister.

He noted that the project will now be able to start construction.

“Probably in the second half of September, the Government, calling the commission, will be able to provide more details on the specific dates, stages and other details of the project’s implementation.

The principle does not change, there are sections of different risk, it was introduced (…) a few weeks ago. Priority will be given to the riskiest, most vulnerable sections within the established time, whose clear horizon will be evaluated during market consultations, covering the entire 508-kilometer stretch that runs overland, ”explained I. Šimonytė.

According to the Prime Minister, negotiations with the EU on the financing of the fence are not taking place at this time.

“The financing of the physical barrier is not yet foreseen in the documents of the EU institutions, but this does not prevent Lithuania and like-minded people from raising this issue in the discussions. Currently, the project will be financed with the funds borrowed on behalf of the state, ”said the Prime Minister.

As I. Šimonytė pointed out, the issue of financing the physical barrier on the border with Belarus is raised not only by Lithuania, but also by other Baltic countries and Poland.

“We think that everything will go well, because the main reason for the construction of the concert (…) was that we had to search for barbed wire probably all over the world and the purchase of larger quantities is already underway.

I hope it will be completed successfully and that the process will continue to run smoothly, “said the Prime Minister.

According to I. Šimonytė, the indicative construction time is approximately one year.

“However, it must be taken into account that the border also has several sections with different risks, this is a priority and will be given to those sections that are of greater risk,” reiterated the Prime Minister.

A project execution agreement will be signed shortly.

Rustama Liubajev, head of the State Border Guard Service (SBGS), recalled that the physical barrier is believed to consist of two main elements: a protective fence (three to four meters high).

The fence should be metal, protected from the weather conditions in Lithuania. A concert stand should be installed next to the railing to make it difficult to access the railing to damage or overcome it.

“Following this government decision, a project implementation agreement will be signed with EPSO-G in the near future. This agreement will provide conditions, terms, functions and other aspects,” said R. Liubajev.

According to the head of SBGS, a very responsible period of planning work is now looming.

The project objectives are clear to the company

Rolandas Zukas, Director of EPSO-G, said the objectives of the project were clear to them: the work should be finished by September next year.

“We are preparing for that now. In mid-September, we will do preparatory planning work, compile the implementation structure for the entire project, and seek to start work on the most important sections, near Druskininkai,” said R. Zukas.

The main document that will govern the work will be the contract signed between EPSO-G and SBGS.

The director of the company explained that they would organize the purchases to include not only the subsidiaries, but also the commercial companies operating not only in the Lithuanian market.

“The biggest challenges I see are the supply of materials. Because a large quantity of metal products is needed, they must be manufactured and delivered along the entire stretch wall section, ”said R. Zukas.

EPSO-G plans to start this project with about 15 people. Some of them will be related to the implementation of the project, some will be civil engineers, technologists, procurement specialists.

The preliminary installation of the physical barrier would require around 152 million. euros. The project, as indicated in the Government Resolution, should be completed by 2022. However, as Interior Minister Agnė Bilotaitė said during the meeting, the Energy Ministry should present a specific deadline in a few weeks.

In early July, construction began on a cutting wire in the border section, a concert hall. It will also become part of the future physical barrier. As previously announced, the concert hall will be built on the 508-kilometer border section, according to the principle of a pyramid, and next to it a four-meter-high fence will be built, on top of which a concert hall will also be installed. . installed.