G. Paluckas Meets with Saab CEO and Members of the Swedish Bankers’ Association
In Stockholm, Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas met with Micael Johansson, CEO of Sweden’s defence industry leader Saab, to discuss opportunities for closer cooperation between the two countries. He also held talks with members of the Swedish Bankers’ Association.
Highlighting Lithuania’s increasing defence financing and its longstanding partnership with Saab, Prime Minister G. Paluckas expressed Lithuania’s interest in closer cooperation, extending beyond arms acquisitions.
“The geopolitical reality compels our region to take greater responsibility for security — to do more, faster, and together. We see Sweden and Saab as a longstanding, reliable, strong partner, and we want to elevate our cooperation to a qualitatively new, higher level,” said Prime Minister G. Paluckas.
Lithuania has experience in creating joint defence industry companies with partner countries and is ready to expand this practice by implementing economically sound projects and sharing expertise and responsibilities.
This would enable the creation of shorter and more secure supply chains and strengthen cohesion among the allied countries’ defence industries.
Concluding his working visit to Stockholm with a meeting with the Swedish Bankers’ Association, the Lithuanian Prime Minister discussed the business environment in Lithuania and the crucial role of financial institutions in boosting the country's economic competitiveness and growth.
The Prime Minister emphasised that access to capital for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) — vital for a vibrant Lithuanian economy — remains very limited due to banks’ low appetite for risk.
Lithuania ranks among the leading EU countries in terms of the share of rejected SME financing applications.
Small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of Lithuania’s economy, so improving their access to financing and enabling their growth is critically important for citizens and for the 19th Government, the Prime Minister said. He added that Lithuania is open to exploring cooperation and risk-sharing mechanisms in lending, involving the state through the national development bank ILTE.
During the conversation, the Prime Minister also highlighted planned infrastructure and defence industry development projects and invited partners to continue mutually beneficial, time-tested cooperation.
