The Seimas on Tuesday adopted a bill, submitted by the Ministry of National Defense, on the principled structure and size of the Lithuanian army for 2014-2019.
Under the draft law, King Mindaugas Motorized Infantry Battalion of the Land Force of the Lithuanian army will be renamed King Mindaugas Hussar Battalion of the Land Force of the Lithuanian army.
The bill's explanatory note says that hussars, as a form of light cavalry, appeared in Lithuania in the first half of the XVI century and soon became the army's heavy cavalry used during battles to ram through the enemy's lines.
Grand Duchess Birutė Motorized Infantry Battalion of the Land Force will be renamed Grand Duchess Birutė Lancer Battalion. According to Minister of National Defense Juozas Olekas, this way the 17-century tradition of lancer units will be continued.
The overall number of military units will remain fairly the same as compared to this year.
The overall marginal number of troops of professional and compulsory initial military service, volunteer troops and other troops of the active reserve will range from 14,140 to 17,360 in 2014, compared to 14,130 to 16,945 this year.
The overall number of senior officers will be reduced over the next six years, the Ministry of National Defense noted. As the number of private soldiers will be increased, the marginal number of troops of professional military service will be 7,700-8,500 next year, as compared to 7,700-8,400 last year. The number should reach 9,000-9,5000 by 2019.
