Other events in Baltic States

Colonel Elegijus Paulavicius has been appointed new commander of Lithuania's military intelligence, replacing Remigijus Baltrenas who will become Lithuania's military representative to NATO and the European Union, the Ministry of National Defense announced on Thursday, writes LETA/BNS. 

At an official ceremony, National Defense Minister Raimundas Karoblis handed over to Paulavicius the flag of the Second Investigation Department under the Ministry of National Defense.

"The new commander of the SID has an important task ahead as he will need to ensure expertise of our military intelligence in a dynamically-changing regional security situation. I wish him to continue building it by boosting not only technological readiness but also human resources," Karoblis said.

Thanking Baltrenas for his service, the national defense minister underlined that today he, as a minister and politician, can be glad about the fact that he has enjoyed the military intelligence's valuable and reliable advice throughout his service in the national defense system.

"Accepting the unit's flag is not only great honor for a military officer's professional life but also a great challenge. It’s also great responsibility I responsibly accept for the quality of the department's operation, its results having direct impact on decisions by the state's top leaders and eventually for the security and wellbeing of the state," Paulavicius said.

He vows to continue started work aimed at building a reliable, professional, innovative and technologically advanced intelligence institution capable of executing delegated tasks. Paulavicius also highlighted the importance of cooperation both with the department and also with other institutions.

Colonel Paulavicius started his service within the Lithuanian army in 1999.

The Second Investigation Department is one of the two intelligence institutions in Lithuania, responsible for ensuring and bolstering Lithuania's national security in the area of defense.