2023-04-23 18:31:43
Street maintenance was an administrative matter that was not voted on by the council, he said.
“There wasn’t even a party vote here, nor in the council – this is an administrative issue that seemed quite routine. There are qualitative redevelopments of the streets, in principle those twelve points still look completely orderly on paper today. But here we probably have a classic example of how a good idea is ruined with poor implementation,” V. Benkunskas told the LRT program “Savaitė” on Sunday.
According to him, during the leadership of Remigiis Šimašis in Vilnius, the representatives of the Fatherland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats were not responsible for street maintenance.
Irmantos Gelūnos/BNS photo/Narrowed intersection of Saltoniškių and T. Narbutos streets
“The Fatherland Union, although it was part of the governing coalition for less than two terms – six and a half years – under the leadership of the city Remigiis Šimašis, but it never managed these areas that you are asking regarding,” said V. Benkunskas, who has worked as the vice-mayor of Vilnius since 2019, in response to the question regarding one’s responsibility in transforming the streets of the capital.
“Even when you’re in a coalition, you can’t know which entrance or which roundregarding will be fixed, which, as we see now that the whole situation is in turmoil, poses a threat even to security,” he added.
The elected mayor of Vilnius reiterated that the removal of safety-threatening obstacles from the narrowing streets of the capital will be one of the most important tasks of the new municipal administration.
Lukas Balandis/BNS photo/Remigijus Šimašius
“We’re actually going to change those problem areas.” We will definitely not open those streets once more, we will not throw money once more. (…) We will solve those few places that pose a threat to security or hinder convenient use of the infrastructure”, V. Benkunskas said.
He assured that in the coming years the municipality will invest in improving the quality of the street surface.
V.Benkunskas also admitted that last summer, when wild vegetation was not mowed in some parts of the capital, safety was not sufficiently assessed.
“In the city, where people walk, there is a risk of bringing back the same ticks and catching them on animals, the policy of mowing intensity will definitely be increased,” said the elected mayor of Vilnius.
The General Prosecutor’s Office announced on Monday that the prosecutor, who assessed the actions of the municipal administration related to street reconstruction works in the capital city, adopted a decision to apply public interest protection measures.
The prosecutor demanded that the municipality remove existing obstacles – columns, flowerbeds, fences, inventory of outdoor cafes, etc. – that hinder the movement of firefighting and rescue vehicles
Vilnius city municipality announced on Wednesday that it intends to take into account the comments of the prosecutor’s office and will remove stationary obstacles in some streets of the old town in the near future.
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