The rally started in Cathedral Square and its participants walked through Gediminas Avenue to the parliament building. Some of the officers were leading their police dogs.
Chairwoman of the Lithuanian Police Trade Union (LPPS), Roma Katinienė, said that the event was aimed to draw the government’s attention to the planned police reform and to reach an agreement on long-term strategy that would strengthen the police force.
According to the LPPS, the majority of police officers are paid below the average salary in Lithuania and earn less than EUR 1,000 per month. The trade union notes that this affects the motivation to serve in the police and makes it harder to attract young officers.
Meanwhile, according to the Ministry of the Interior, in the second quarter of 2024 the lowest ranking officers on average earned EUR 1,287 net salaries per month, by 46% more than in 2020 (EUR 884). Whereas the average net salary of police officers stands at EUR 1,553.
Later, a conference was held in parliament to discuss problems in the police force and the necessary changes.