Thursday the Seimas approved Major General Valdemaras Rupšys, incumbent Commander of the Land Force, as the next Chief of Defence.
104 MPs voted for the nomination, two abstained, no MPs were against.
The Chief of Defence was nominated and will be appointed by President Gitanas Nausėda.
52 years old V. Rupšys had been in charge of different units of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, headed the Human Resources Department of the Ministry of National Defence, etc.
He was appointed as Commander of the Lithuanian Land Force in 2016 and promoted to major general after two years.
V. Rupšys is an alumnus of the General Jonas Žemaits Military Academy of Lithuania, Baltic Defence College, U.S. Army War College.
The Seimas also approved dismissal of the outgoing Chief of Defence Lieutenant General Jonas Vytautas Žukas.
Advisor to the President Povilas Mačiulis said earlier this week J. V. Žukas may join G.Nausėda's team once in the reserve.
According to the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, the Chief of Defence is appointed for the tenure of five years and dismissed by the President with confirmation of the Seimas.
Information by: BNS
Photo credits: Sgt Spc Ieva Budzeikaitė, Pte 1st Class Michail Lysenko, Alfredas Pliadis
