Summary sheet
The project will finance the design, build, finance and operation of a military base located in Lithuania.
The aim is to support EU and national objectives on security and defence. It enhances preparedness and crisis management, improves internal security and strengthens common borders.
In 2022, the project was declared special national importance project in the field of national defence by the Law on the Rudninkai Military Training Area of the Lithuanian Armed Forces ("the Law"). Given the project's scope, it was excluded from the environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedure under Article 1(3) of the EIA Directive 2011/92/EC (as amended by Directive 2014/52/EC) on assessing the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment, as well as national legislation. However, the Law requires the implementing institution to minimise negative environmental impacts during the construction and site preparation phases. To achieve this, all construction and deforestation sites (approximately 190 hectares) are coordinated with the competent authorities. The project is located in the SPA Natura 2000 site Rudininku giria (code LTSALB002). The project's implications on the site are currently under assessment, including monitoring and field surveys. Depending on the outcome, the Ministry of Environment will determine the significance of the impact on the Natura 2000 site and decide whether any compensatory measures are required.
The public promoter, the Ministry of Defence of Lithuania, is a contracting authority, and the works being procured fall under the scope of the Defence and Security Directive, 2009/81/EC. Thus, for the selection of the private partner, the promoter will be required to comply with said directive. For reasons of extreme urgency, the Ministry of Defence, in line with the Law establishing the project, has decided to run the procurement process using a negotiated procedure without publication of a contract notice. The project is procured on a private public partnership basis. The information on awarded main suppliers/contractors for the implementation of the envisaged operation is not available yet at this stage.