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The chairman of this commission, the vice chancellor of the Government Alminas Mačiulis, informed the SNB on Friday.
“At the commission meeting on Thursday, we decided to start the evaluation of this company, because we received a request from the state company Lithuanian Airports to carry out such an inspection,” A. Mačiulis told BNS.
It said it could not reveal whether the Lithuanian airports’ request for Nuctech’s experience meant that the company claimed to be the winner of the purchase.
“The competition was organized by Lithuanian airports, not a government commission. We cannot cancel the contest or approve it in any way. We can only evaluate the content of the transaction and the part of the transaction from the point of view of national security and present our conclusion, ”explained A. Mačiulis.
He said he could not predict how long the commission’s evaluation would take.
“It is very difficult to say that we only formally began the procedure on Thursday. The law establishes that a pause can be made, additional information can be requested,” said the rector.
Conservative Laurynas Kasčiūnas, chairman of the Seimas Defense and National Security Committee, also addressed the government commission on Friday, asking to assess whether the attempt by the Chinese state-owned Nuctech to install X-ray inspections at Lithuanian airports represents a threat to national security.
According to A. Mačiulis, the information provided by L. Kasčiūnas will be used during the assessment of the Chinese company.
According to L. Kasčiūnas, Nuctech’s X-ray inspection team at airports can collect data on passengers and baggage, which would be available to Chinese intelligence and security services under Chinese law. The politician’s letter mentions media reports accusing Nuctech of bribery in Namibia and Taiwan, as well as American warnings.
According to L. Kasčiūnas, he received information about the company’s plans at Lithuanian airports from MEPs.
Lithuanian airports requested inspection themselves
The comment sent by Lithuanian airports indicates that it is planned to upgrade the baggage control systems (newer model of X-ray control equipment) designed to ensure aviation security at Vilnius and Kaunas airports. So far, two acquisitions are underway, one to improve carry-on baggage and the other to improve checked baggage control systems.
“Every larger purchase that meets certain criteria is always inspected on our own initiative through the National Security Commission and other institutions. This is the standard procedure we normally use. We did the same at the same time, when we requested ourselves to the safety commission last week that its members carefully evaluate the company in question, its proposal.
In aviation, security is the top priority, so we do everything possible to ensure that the renewal of the airport security team is compatible with the interests of national security, ”Lithuanian airports commented.
According to the law, the Lithuanian company operating the international airports of Vilnius, Kaunas and Palanga is on the list of companies in the first category important to ensure national security.
The US Wall Street Journal reported in June this year that US agencies had launched an active campaign against Nuctech’s operations in Europe.
The article said that the National Security Council and several other US agencies were trying to persuade European governments to abandon Nuctech, whose cargo, baggage and passenger control systems are becoming common in ports, airports and checkpoints. border across Europe.
“As in the case of Huawei, the campaign against Nuctech is a test of the ability of the United States to persuade its allies to abandon the more favorable price equipment suppliers in the face of American security concerns, although the target companies say that the accusations against them are unfounded. ” written in the article.
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