The mayor of Kretinga quelled passions in Darbėnai: “The factory will be there, but not here”

Passions are always stirring in Darbėni. This week, local residents even expressed the rather radical idea of ​​joining the Palanga municipality, whose mayor Šarūnas Vaitkus had immediately stated that he did not support the project of a huge methanol plant in the neighboring district. Residents also protested in front of the municipality and collected signatures.

On Friday, A. Kalnius invited the workers to a meeting.

“It will appear, but not in Darbėnai”

Such haste somewhat surprised the locals. They began to joke that the mayor would like to congratulate women on the occasion of March 8.

Standing in front of a large audience, A. Kalnius stated the decision he had made and his desire to share it. “We will not allow the construction of a methanol plant in Darbėni. It will appear somewhere in Lithuania, but not in Darbėnai”, said the politician.

Until then, he insisted that an environmental impact assessment must be carried out first, because until then there is nothing to object to.

Now A. Kalnius claims that he had arguments to change his position. Later, he explained that he formed the position following seeing how the community opposed it. Indeed, the atmosphere in Kretinga district is hot. “Not a single euro is worth such community opposition,” said A. Kalnius.

His position was met with applause.

However, the council members who participated in the meeting openly provoked the mayor as to why he might not agree to the proposal not to approve the factory at the council meeting held a week ago.

Residents asked several times: are there other places where such a factory would appear. The mayor had to emphasize that self-government cannot tell businesses where to operate.

Investors have planned two locations

The Danish company “European Energy” recently announced that it will invest regarding 400 million. euros to a methanol and green hydrogen plant in Lithuania.

European Energy plans to select a location for the methanol and green hydrogen plant in 2025, and start operations in 2028. According to the company, it will be the most powerful such plant in the Baltic and Scandinavian countries. The company would like to build a factory in Kretinga or Akmenė districts.