Lithuania's Chief of Defense Valdemaras Rupsys, Deputy Defense Minister Vilius Semeska and Robertas Dargis, chairman of the management board at Eika, will bury a time capsule with a letter to future generations during Friday's groundbreaking ceremony.
The Defense Ministry last year signed a contract for the construction of the Siauliai military complex with Partnerystes Projektai Keturi and Samogitia Miestelis, both part of Eika.
Administrative and special-purpose buildings, such as barracks, canteens, headquarters, and medical, sports and technical facilities, are planned to be built in the battalion-sized complex that will cover an area of 7.8 hectares.
The construction of the first two new military bases, in Rokantiskes, close to Vilnius, and in Pajuris, a small town in the western district of Silale, got underway in August and September. Salvinta, a construction company that is part of Darnu Group, is the construction contractor for both projects.
All three public-private partnership contracts were signed for a period of 15 years, including two and a half years for designing and construction, and 12.5 years for maintenance and servicing of the infrastructure.
The three new military sites, scheduled to be completed in late 2023 to early 2024, will accommodate up to 2,500 military personnel and civilian employees of the national defense system.
The construction of the three military bases is the Defense Ministry's strategic project aimed at bolstering Lithuania's combat capabilities, providing physical infrastructure for the permanent deployment of the Lithuanian Armed Forces' combat capabilities, and strengthening the country's defense and deterrence.