A Lithuanian city is divided by a knife: due to inexplicable movement restrictions, no one can care for a cancer patient

Part of the district population is separated from the center of the district

As a result, residents are angry and the municipality itself has no choice but to “wash its hands”: the decision was made by the Government and the point.

However, on closer inspection, it is obvious that the Government’s decision does not provide for any movement restrictions within municipal limits, and it is still difficult for rural residents to reach the city …

The member of the Seimas Viktor Fiodorov says that the restriction of movement within the municipality is not defined in the Government Resolution and is considered an error.

You have no documents because you cannot pick them up.

This is one of the many painful stories.

Albinas Murauskas from Josvainė, who has an oncological disease, was found in the “cut off” part of Kėdainiai – he, who lives legally in the Kėdainiai district municipality, is practically left outside the municipality, and does not have a child from the K dedainiai district Kaunas not a daughter of Kėdainiai himself can come to him.

“I have cancer, I have had surgery. As much as I could, I kept going where I needed to, but my health was deteriorating, I needed medicine, food, help at the end, but my daughter from Kėdainiai could not come to see me.

He tried one way and another: he turned his back, officials were not convinced of his story because he had no paper.

And where did you get that paper from? The papers are all from the hospital for me, and how can I take them away if they won’t let me in? You know, a crown is a crown, but they just let us die here on individual farms, ”the man lamented.

He says that he does not know what evidence and how to transmit to the daughter so that she can go to the father at the most necessary moment for him. You will have hospital records, but you simply cannot pass them on to your daughter, much less your son.

At this time, when it is very snowy, he himself cannot go anywhere, because he simply does not have the strength to leave the house.

Waste of time

“Rinkos aikštė” constantly receives calls and comments from residents of Kėdainiai about the movement restriction procedure in the city.

Often the callers only work outside the city but in the same municipality. They are angry at having to wait in lines, wasting time, especially since they move within the municipality and there is no prohibition to do so.

Some speculate that the Government’s decision was made to apply to large cities and bypass municipalities, and that some Kėdainiai control officials simply find it easier to restrict traffic near the city, although such a restriction is excessive in the Government’s decision. .

Forbidden contacts

Although the Government Resolution on the quarantine announcement does not mention the restriction of movement within the municipality, there is a prohibition on having close contact with more than one family or household.

Thus, it can be said that movement restriction posts ensure not only the prohibition of movement between municipalities, but also the prohibition of contact with family farms.

It is true that there are exceptions, such as emergencies where assistance is needed, caring for the sick or who cannot take care of themselves.

However, to supervise such a person, you need to have supporting documents.

“A government decree restricts movement for unnecessary reasons and this applies both between municipalities and within them. Municipalities do not influence this process.

During quarantine, homes can only be abandoned when necessary, such as when traveling to buy food, on the way to work or on business, when going to health centers.

The resolution allows the supervision of sick or incapable of caring for themselves.

For this it is necessary to have the telephone number of the patient, a photograph of the disabled certificate if he is disabled, show the medicines transported to the patient, etc., that is, to convince that the trip is justified.

No special document is foreseen in these cases.

Communication between two households is also possible if one of them does not have more than one person or a disabled minor or an adult who needs permanent care due to the disability.

Personally, I did not hear that without reasons the residents could not go to the desired place, “said the head of the municipal administration of the Kėdainiai district. Civil and Fire Safety Specialist Stasys Okunevičius.

You have the right to inspect

Meanwhile, the Lithuanian police, ensuring the government’s decision, have the right to inspect any car, no matter where it drives, even within the municipality, even if it is not going to approach the exit of the municipality.

“The police, ensuring the implementation of the government’s decisions, organize fixed or mobile checkpoints at the entrances of all municipal centers in the country, where vehicles entering / leaving cities / cities will be controlled. Therefore, the Kėdainiai District Municipality is no exception.

Officials have the right to stop a vehicle anywhere and make sure how many people are going and where they have a justifiable reason to go.

The transfer of food for the care of people who are ill or unable to care for themselves is allowed, but given the wide variety of these cases, officials evaluate them individually.

It is recommended that people traveling have supporting documents (for example, on the health status of the supervised person, a statement that the person was operated on, a copy of the certificate of the disabled person, etc.) ”, reported the Lithuanian police representative. .

In case of disagreement about the passing of the position or in special cases, the attendees may request that the decisions (safety pins, etc.) be resolved in the presence of a senior official of the position.

Restriction – Error?

“Market Square” spoke with local members of the Seimas – Social Democrat Tomas Bičiūnas and employee Viktoras Fiodorovas, presenting the aforementioned story of the citizen of Josva and asking how he assesses the situation, if it should be changed and if it is possible to do so.

V. Fyodorov has been severely isolated: the government resolution does not provide for the restriction of movement within the municipality, so it can be considered a mistake.

“First of all, I would like to thank the officials, the volunteers, who have been doing their assigned work for more than a month. We have discussed this measure in our group, but it would be difficult to evaluate it unequivocally. I think it was necessary to restrict movement to control the spread of the virus.

It is a fact that the Government, in making such a decision, did not consider all the challenges and consequences of this measure.

The hasty decision not only forced people who do not need to move around Lithuania or the district to stay at home, but also caused a lot of inconvenience for those who had to move for work reasons or situations like the ones you mentioned. Of course, it is probably impossible to predict all possible situations.

In my opinion, after the most important holidays of the year, when the most intense movement in the country was registered, this prohibition should have been abolished.

Restricting movement in your municipality of residence is a complete misunderstanding.

Movement within the municipality itself is not prohibited, at least not in a government resolution.

All the necessary public services are gathered in the town of Kėdainiai, so denying entry is a mistake. It is only necessary to point out that this is not the fault of the officials themselves, but of the organizers of such proceedings.

I hear many stories where officials, guided by criteria of reasonableness, saw many situations in a very professional way, without hindering important trips.

Last week, both our group and the entire opposition asked the government for other bans, especially a ban on small businesses.

We also proposed to convene an extraordinary session of the Seimas.

After such a stir, the government promises to review a series of restrictions, which, I hope, will include not only restrictions on small businesses, but also restrictions on movement, “said Fyodorov.

Meanwhile, T. Bičiūnas, who traditionally answered questions only in writing, almost verbally repeated the information provided in the section of the Lithuanian Police website on quarantine and frequently asked questions.

“The police must work in a responsible and honest way, that is, guarantee the implementation of the decisions of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, organize fixed or mobile checkpoints at the entrances of all municipal centers in the country.

The care of sick people or those who cannot take care of themselves is allowed, but these cases are evaluated individually by the officials. Support persons are advised to have supporting documents (for example, documents about the supervised person’s health status).

A senior post should be appointed at each checkpoint. In the event of disagreement about passing through the post, people on the way may request that the decisions be resolved in the presence of a senior official in the post.

I hope that in this difficult time, the residents and officials of Kėdainiai can find the most appropriate and correct solution ”, writes T. Bičiūnas in his answer (or perhaps more precisely in this case I would say that he provides an answer simply copied from the site Police website?), urging residents to contact him or his assistants directly in town.