People living in metropolitan suburbs are warned: police may not allow shopping in the city

100 meters, but not possible

Arūnas lives approximately 120 meters from the Vilnius city border. The village of Rokantiškės in Šatrininkai is already on the territory of the Vilnius District Municipality. However, most of family life is related to the capital: there is work, there is the purchase of products necessary for day to day.

“I cross the train track and end up in the city or vice versa. There are several shops in the pavilion, which we usually visit on the way. If you need to search for a store in the area, I don’t even know, Maxima opened a new store in Skaidiškės recently, and everything is also in Rudamina.

Yes, it is already a long way, but it is not even that important if it is possible to drive far or near by precisely following the quarantine instructions. However, there is no way.

Yes, it is already a long way, but it is not even that important if it is possible to drive far or near, strictly following public quarantine instructions. However, there is no way. There is something like this tractor a path that can be used in summer, when it is completely dry and the ground has collapsed. Now in winter, when you retire, maybe it is also possible, but there are no guarantees. I wouldn’t even try to go there any other time, “admitted Arūnas.

He recalled a recent trip from Rudamina, when a train broke down at a junction near the house; This happens quite often, as the loaded goods trains from Belarus have difficulty crossing the slope of the railway in this place. It takes at least a few hours for the next locomotive to arrive and start, then even some nearby level crossings are closed. So I had to test the roads in the open air, where I repeatedly visited the idea of ​​leaving the car and going to find helpers with a tractor.

“It just came to my attention then. Of course you can walk, the fields will be about ten kilometers away,” Arūnas joked.

You will have to familiarize yourself with the local stores.

Mažvydas and his family also live near Pavilnis, in the village of Pakalniškės, which is also about 100 meters outside the Vilnius municipality limits. The situation of this family is analogous, because both and his wife work in Vilnius, their daughter also attends kindergarten, and also the nearest store in Pavilnis, because there is not even a kiosk in her village.

Mažvydas assures that he understands that the movement restrictions are necessary because the situation with the coronavirus is threatening, but he continues to smile, he still does not even know where the closest store is in the Vilnius district, because he has never used it. Maybe in Nemėžis, but there it seems very small, which will probably be full before the holidays, or in Rudamina, which is not very close.

On the other side of Vilnius, Riešė is constantly expanding. The settlement is already on the territory of the Vilnius district municipality, thousands of people live in it, most of whom are also more connected to the city of Vilnius than to the district.

Čionykštis Giedrius admits that he does not visit the Riešė shops: one is in the center of the village, the other near the house, but small and always full of people. And on the other side of the Molėtai highway, it is difficult to reach Rimi with restrictions, because to turn around, you will have to drive to Vilnius.

Therefore, the stricter quarantine rules, which came into force on December 16 and which restrict movement within the country and between municipalities, may cause difficulties for Arūnas, Mažvydas and Giedrius. It is true that everyone is smiling and in no hurry to complain, because shopping is also possible when traveling for work, but he admits that the situation is quite curious.

Police – strict

The Ministry of the Interior assures: how 15 minutes informed Božena Zaborovska-Zdanovič, Advisor of the Strategic Communication Division of the Ministry, that this situation should not cause inconvenience to residents, as it is not prohibited to leave their place of residence and go to the point of sale.

“Of course, it is recommended to choose stores in the same municipality where you live, but if you cannot, then you can go to a store in another municipality. The police officers will assess each situation individually, but, as already mentioned, the objective is not to sanction, but to explain, as well as to encourage people to become aware and reject unnecessary trips, ”said the representative of the Ministry of the Interior.

There are definitely a lot of grocery stores in the area where you can go shopping.

And here the police see the situation differently. Ramūnas Matonis, Head of the Communication Department of the Police Department, assured that when they go to Vilnius to do shopping, the residents of the district should think well: the officers probably will not miss that, as it is not a necessity.

“There are definitely enough grocery stores in the area to shop,” a police spokesman said.

Wait for individual solutions

Paulius Keras, director of the Kaunas City Municipality Emergency Operations Center, is convinced that the police officers who regulate traffic will decide whether to allow people who live on the outskirts of the city, but are already in the district and want to shop at the largest store in town.

“If it is a district that has all the infrastructure in the area, it has supermarkets, then the neighbor, most likely, the police would not allow him to go shopping in the city during traffic restrictions, if there was no other reason. But if the district is closely connected with the city of Kaunas, in many places even the infrastructure and streets are common, on the border, then I think the opportunities to enter, get to shopping centers, buy the necessary goods will be created.

The scheme itself provides that people can come and go to supermarkets on both sides. After all, you need to move out of the house to go shopping. If there are no other possibilities and it will be necessary to cross the border of the city, evaluating the place of residence, the police, I believe, will make logical decisions based on reasonable criteria in each case, ”explained P. Keras.

If you are a resident of a neighborhood that has full malls, the police will most likely not allow you to enter the city during traffic restrictions, unless there is another reason, just to shop.

When asked which districts were divided according to the traffic restriction quarantine scheme and their residents may have similar problems, he named Romainius, Vytėnai and Sargėnai.

Ask for procedures

According to P. Kero, the most common question related to restrictions introduced to movement between municipalities, which is received by the Kaunas City Municipality, is: what documents are required to demonstrate the need to enter or leave Kaunas City.

“These are real estate documents, an employee certificate or a document that proves that a person works in one or another institution in Kaunas, and any other logical document that proves the need to go one way or another. They do not have to be original, photographed copies will suffice ”, said P. Keras.

Kaunas County Police admit that, indeed, annoyances can occur to people. However, those who do not have the need will not be admitted to Kaunas. According to the Kaunas County Police, the infrastructure of the Kaunas district is developed, there are many commercial places where a greater selection of products can be found.

If you need diapers, think

In Klaipeda, the police were on duty at some entrances to the city on Wednesday morning. On the eve, drivers were asked to be prepared and to have documents proving the necessity of their trip.

Therefore, dilemmas may arise for residents of Klaipėda’s suburbs who go shopping.

“Those who enter the district centers are being controlled: Klaipėda city, Gargždus. Therefore, the answer to the question of what to do for a mom in the neighborhood if she runs out of diapers would be: evaluate all the possibilities of not driving. Buy online, order by mail. We always answer: if there is at least one possibility that it will not happen, it must not happen, ”said Andromeda Grauslienė, Chief of the Communications Branch of the Klaipėda County Police Commissioner.

So the answer to the question of what to do for a district mom if she runs out of diapers would be: evaluate all the possibilities of not driving.

Police instructions

According to the Lithuanian police, those who intend to travel to other municipalities for personal reasons are advised not to go anywhere where they cannot document the legality of their trip and stay. After leaving, it will be possible to return only if you have documents that demonstrate the legitimate purpose of the trip provided for in the Government Resolution (for example, housing leases, documents of ownership of real estate, documents that prove the employment relationship, if the business continues).

“If you cannot provide the above or other documents that justify a legitimate objective, you will not be able to return until the end of the movement restrictions (January 3, 2021 inclusive).

If you have real estate or are registered in a municipality other than your municipality of residence, you have the right to travel, but are subject to other restrictions, such as communication within a single household (for example, returning to your parents, grandparents and / or other relatives). raped), ”warns the police.

Moving is also allowed, but you must travel with all your personal belongings and officers would assess the situation individually; for example, traveling with multiple personal belongings is not considered a move.

For police explanations on who and how can move between municipalities, read here: The police answer: who will be able to move between municipalities and under what circumstances, what documents should be in possession.