On Thursday, the Lithuanian Seimas voted against a proposal from G. Balčytytė to introduce a new article to the Criminal Code defining 'sabotage.' The proposal was supported by 40 members, while 18 voted against and 41 abstained. The parliamentarians decided not to refine the bill further and rejected it outright. Balčytytė's proposal aimed to categorize actions that involve the destruction, damage, or disruption of national security-related strategic facilities and their systems as sabotage, which could inflict significant material harm to Lithuania's interests.

Under the proposed clause, individuals found guilty of sabotage would face prison sentences ranging from four to ten years, depending on the severity and circumstances of the act. Specifically, if the sabotage was conducted on behalf of a foreign state or organization, the penalty could increase to six to twelve years. Furthermore, a stricter accountability measure was suggested for individuals committing sabotage while neglecting or failing to perform their duties, resulting in potential prison sentences of eight to fourteen years.

The rejection of this bill highlights the ongoing debates within Lithuanian lawmaking about how to properly address national security threats without creating legal ambiguities. By not adopting G. Balčytytė’s proposal, the Seimas has left unresolved issues regarding the legal categorization of sabotage, which was previously being assessed through the lens of terrorism. This decision reflects the challenges lawmakers face in balancing national security concerns with the complexities of legal definitions in the context of modern threats.