The State Security Department (VSD) and the Migration Department have formally asked the Government for additional unds to tackle the increased workload and upgrade their systems.
"They face additional workloads. These are the services whose letters reasonably explain the need of the extra funds," Arvydas Pocius, chair of the Seimas Committee on National Security and Defence (NSGK), told ELTA after the committee’s siting on Wednesday.
The agencies’ effectiveness is at risk of being compromised due to the lack of funds, he underlined.
The Migration Department has estimated it needs an additional EUR 1.540 million next year. According to Evelina Gudzinskaitė, head of the department, the majority of the funds would be directed to establish new posts as the institution’s workload has increased.
The VSD has stated that the funding planned for the agency for 2025 is not in line with the country’s security situation. Maintaining and developing the VSD’s capabilities are of critical importance in the face of a very tense geopolitical reality, it said.
The draft state budget for 2025 foresees appropriations of EUR 53.021 million for the VSD. This makes an annual increase of EUR 2.5 million.