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“According to the decision of the municipality, my rent increased from 99 to 210 euros per month, other people experienced a similar jump in prices. We were shocked.
I have a physical disability, I cannot work due to an occupational disease. My income is small, but the officials did not take it into account, ”said D. Chočinienė, who lives in the municipal house on Sodų street, to the news portal lrytas.lt.
The municipality said it would not allow protests due to the government’s quarantine requirements, but local officials and politicians did not object in any way to other events during the pandemic when no criticism of the government was voiced.
Fear of being on the street
According to D. Chočinienė, the local officials did not have the right to increase the rental prices, which contravenes the resolution of the Government and the previous contractual obligations of the Government of Kaunas.
“Approximately 150 families moved out of the house to be returned a few years ago to apartments provided by the municipality in new apartment buildings located on K.Veverskio streets, Sodų.
People did not ask for these houses. We became hostages of the municipality. Many residents have nothing to pay for the rent increase, especially to buy apartments at a cost of 1,200 euros per square meter. Many of them can end up on the street because they will not have to pay the rent.
In addition, in some of the houses a defect arose: you can see moldy, peeling and damp walls, ”said D. Chočinienė.
The lrytas.lt portal received photos of the walls exposed to humidity; The images were captured in the apartment building marked 3 on K. Verserskio Street.
“People have repeatedly requested the municipality to repair poor quality repairs, but the problem is not solved,” said D. Chočinienė angrily.
Residents informed Seimas members about the increase in rental prices, expecting their help.
Residents of Elektrėnai also face this problem, where the rental prices of houses owned by the local municipality have also increased significantly recently.
Double standards have emerged
The publication of a publication on the problems of the former residents of the houses to be returned and a picket in the municipality revealed the double standards applied by the city authorities.
For example, on March 20, public events dedicated to the International Day of Happiness were held in the city, in which the representatives of the Municipality of Kaunas also invited residents to participate.
Images were captured of about 100 people gathered at the Kaunas municipality building in Laisv Las Alley that day.
Similar images could be seen at the end of November last year, when the second wave of the pandemic broke out when the Christmas tree was lit in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
“Why are some public events and meetings illuminated with a green light, and more than 15 people cannot go to others where criticism and resentment for the actions of the city government are allowed?
We would certainly observe distances and other security requirements, but the government is probably afraid of a higher number of pickets due to criticism ”, D. Chočinien was surprised.
Ministry: pickets are not prohibited
It is an eloquent coincidence that the organizers of the picket asked the municipality for coordination on March 23, just 3 days after the events of the Day of Happiness blessed and even promoted by the government itself.
However, Deputy Director of Administration Paul Keras told the picketers that there was no reason to allow the protest to be organized.
The official relied on the adoption of the Government Resolution on Quarantine on November 4, 2020, which he himself cited as follows: “All cultural, entertainment, sporting events, celebrations, fairs, festivals or other organized meetings of commercial and non-commercial persons. in a public place at a predetermined time. ‘
Meanwhile, the Head of the Press Service of the Ministry of Health, Neringa Mikėnaitė, sent the opposite answer to the news portal lrytas.lt: the right of citizens to gatherings of more than 15 people can be restricted only in case of war or emergency .
“In accordance with article 1, paragraph 1, of the Law on Assemblies of the Republic of Lithuania, the right of individuals to assemblies can only be restricted in case of war or emergency.
1. This Law establishes the conditions to guarantee the right of assembly without peace guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania and the procedure for the protection of the state and public security, public order, human health and the moral principles enshrined in acts legal and other personal rights. and freedoms when organizing meetings or taking individual actions, as well as responsibility for violations of this law. The right and freedom of individuals to choose without arms to attend peaceful assemblies or take individual action may be temporarily restricted by the imposition of a state of war or emergency.
In this case, the quarantine restrictions do not apply to meetings of persons organized in accordance with the Law on Meetings of the Republic of Lithuania.
Permits for such meetings are issued by the municipalities. They are being carried out successfully in Vilnius ”, says a message sent by N. Mikėnaitė.
Municipality: People admired the city for sure.
Representatives of the municipality sent their comments on the complaints made by former residents of the houses to be returned in relation to the rent and the quality of the house, as well as the prohibition of more than 15 people from participating in the picket.
“One of the things that Kaunas really took away from last year was decorating even more spaces in the city with various decorations that attract the attention of passersby.
As a result, the flows of people were not naturally concentrated only in the Town Hall Square, but were also evenly distributed around Santaka Park, the Old Town and the renovated Laisviss Alley.
Therefore, both Kaunas residents and city guests could feel safe enough while walking and admiring the resplendent city.
The city also took over the additional protection, who constantly worked in the Town Hall Square and contributed to the Kaunas police officers and specialists from the municipality’s Public Order Department in ensuring public order. The situation was monitored live with the help of video cameras to react quickly if necessary, ”said Agnė Augonė, Head of the Department of Culture.
It will take into account the interpretation of the SAM
When asked why the city government itself contributed to the organization of the Day of Happiness, it invited people to gather in its building that day, but just a few days later it banned more than 15 picketers, Arnoldas Bukelis replied, the head of the municipal public relations department. :
“It was a sunny spring Saturday, when Laisvės Alley came to life naturally. When planning the performance of the Ąžuolynas wind orchestra, it was planned in advance that it would last only a few minutes. Thus, passersby who spontaneously gathered had the opportunity to stop at the municipal building for a short time and enjoy the sounds of music.
True, the abundance of listeners exceeded expectations, but the audience responsibly maintained the basic requirements for quarantine in open space, from safe distances to time constraints, as the performance lasted less than 15 minutes. There was also no direct contact between people and interpreters. “
Mr. Kerer stated that the municipality will communicate with the Ministry of Health regarding the order of pickets during the quarantine and will definitely take their interpretation into account.
Rent was “insufficiently low”
According to the municipality representatives, the majority of Kaunas residents living in social and municipal housing have so far paid insufficiently small amounts of rent.
As the rental price was rarely recalculated, it did not correspond to the realities of the current market and the funds raised for this service barely covered the costs incurred for the operation and repair of the house. As of now, it has been decided to recalculate rental prices in Kaunas according to the methodology provided by the Government each year. Extremely difficult people will continue to benefit.
“After recalculating the rental price of the municipality and social housing according to the formula established by the Government, its residents in Kaunas, as in some other Lithuanian cities, may have to pay more. This step was unavoidable after the Registry Center updated the property’s value. The funds raised for rent, as before, are being invested in the rehabilitation of houses and the expansion of the real estate fund through the purchase of new apartments, so the waiting lines will continue to decrease.
It should be understood that the same rental price cannot remain for 15 years. It simply does not correspond to the reality of the market. The money collected from the rent is not for profit, but for the repair and maintenance of social and municipal housing, the improvement of the system and the purchase of new houses. The municipality pays for the newly acquired property and the work done at current market prices, so asking tenants for amounts from decades ago is simply illogical, ”explained Donatas Valiukas, Head of the Real Estate Department of the Municipal Administration of the Kaunas city.
The most difficult people or families can also get a rental subsidy. If the income of the person (in the case of a family, all members of the family) of a person per year does not exceed 1.5 VRP per month (the amount of income supported by the state – 128 Eur), the rent of the social housing can be reduced to 50%.
In response to people’s complaints about poor-quality repairs on K. Verserskio Street, D. Valukas stated: “People have been living there for a decade and it is natural that their houses are worn out.”
