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On Monday, the President of the Republic of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, and his team of advisers dedicated the current affairs of the Vilnius region. The president’s priority was focused on managing the COVID-19 pandemic and preparing for the vaccination of the population in the municipalities of Vilnius city and Vilnius district, Elektrėnai, Švenčionys, Ukmergė, Širvintos, Šalčininkai and the Trakai districts.
After meeting remotely with the mayors of eight municipalities in the Vilnius region, the president wondered what are the main challenges that municipalities see in managing the pandemic, what decisions need to be made to ensure that vaccination is carried out without problems and without interruptions from day one. The mayors discussed with the President the recommendations of the Council of Health Experts on measures for the implementation of vaccination, expressed the expectation of a more active coordination of the Ministry of Health and other responsible institutions, and made preliminary suggestions on how to optimize cooperation. with the central coordinating institution.
“The vaccine will arrive in Lithuania on Sunday, December 27. The coronavirus vaccines will first be administered to doctors and seniors at special risk. Lithuania will reach 0.6 percent. Part of the purchase of vaccines from the European Union. The The amount of the first shipment is proportional to the population of our country ”, informed the President and received confirmation from the mayors that vaccination places are already planned in the municipalities, the training of personnel is being prepared, so there will be no delay of more than one minute after receiving the vaccine.
The meeting focused on the EU investments of the new period and the changes in the division of Lithuania into two regions in the distribution of EU funds. It also looks at ways to ensure that the Vilnius region is not financially impaired and that investments are guaranteed to continue.
The mayors also discussed issues related to the accessibility of early childhood education, the principle of equal qualification requirements for directors of educational institutions, the reform of the transfer of state lands to municipalities, the insufficient efficiency of the monetary social support system , the expansion of water management companies, the fate of the Vilnius landfill, protection of the old town, etc.
On Monday, the president’s advisers will participate in remote meetings with the heads of the municipal administrations and the personnel responsible for the coordination of vaccination, representatives of the municipal educational institutions, members of the Regional Cultural Council, Vilnius Regional District Court, regional police, Fire and Rescue Department, Vilnius Special Investigation Service. and specialists in other fields.
The president started the cycle of working days in the regions at the end of 2019, during the year he visited all ten regions with advisers (three, remotely in pandemic conditions). The president worked in Utena, Plungė, Kazlų Rūda, Naujoji Akmenė, Birštonas, Biržai, Tauragė, where he communicated not only with municipal leaders, but also with representatives from various sectors: education, culture, social security, tourism, environment, media, business. as well as with farmers, urban and municipal communities: older people, families and young people. The president visited important cultural objects and monuments for Lithuania, social service centers, schools, was interested in the revival of navigation in the Nemunas, the preservation of the Žuvintas Biosphere Reserve and others. The President’s advisers attended a total of 123 meetings on current regional issues. The State Cognition Center organized civic workshops and educations for children of different ages, in which First Lady Diana Nausėdienė participated.
“From the first days of working in the regions, I have become convinced that the country lacks effective and mutual cooperation between the central and regional government. In recent years, a number of changes in regional policy have already been achieved, that give more powers and tools to self-government. Examples show that some, even small municipalities, are willing to take on more responsibilities, to address even issues of national importance more quickly in place, “said the head of state.
The president’s working days in the regions gave new impetus to the municipal dialogue with ministries and state companies, which translates into closer collaboration and concrete work. At the Regional Forum initiated by the President on September 3. A memorandum was signed between the parties on strengthening the powers and independence of self-government, in which the planned works also found a clear place in the government’s program. The president, hearing the voice of self-government, vetoed the amendments to the Local Self-Government Act regarding mandatory elders. The legislative initiative of the head of state on the wiring of power lines in the municipalities, adopted by the Seimas, has also been born while working in the regions.
