Šimašius’s arguments regarding Lukiškės square are not suitable for Karbauskis: the bitters probably stood at the place where there is now a beach

The mayor once again explained the decision.

In the show, the Mayor of Vilnius, Remigijus Šimašius, explained once again why Lukiškės Square was chosen from all places in Vilnius.

“First of all, I very much invite all the dissatisfied members of the Seimas to come to Lukiškės Square and see what everything really looks like. You can rarely find so many happy people in Lithuania and it is a great celebration of our freedom, because we finally realized that we won against all the communists and the Nazis because they left, ”said the mayor of Vilnius.

According to him, the location of the beach was desirable to say that nature and the sun can also be enjoyed in the city.

“In answering why Lukiškės Square was chosen and why it is the beach, there are of course up to ten beaches in Vilnius, and they are very good. But after the quarantine we realize that people will be able to travel a little less, we look for as many different ways as possible to encourage people to come to Vilnius and discover places.

One of the ideas was to make a beach in the city to show people that the sun and the beach, nature can also be enjoyed in Vilnius. We were very fast in Lukiškės Square for two reasons. Firstly, it is a very convenient place and the plaza is adapted for that, and the other reason became evident a few years ago, when it became clear that there is no better place for a monument to freedom than in this plaza, “says R Šimašius.

Šimašius: I understand the sensitivity of the square

It is true that even for many members of the Vilnius Council, such a decision was quite unexpected.

“Yes, frankly, V. Benkunskas knew it, perhaps he missed it, and there were members on the Council who did not know it, but it is natural. Everyone has to do their job. Naturally, there is time for discussion, and there is time for decisions There are many things that Council members naturally do not know, because even the mayor does not know all things in Vilnius.

If we needed to know everything, we would become zombies full of information, not decision makers. Yes, I understand the sensitivity of this square. For some people, this may not cause the feelings they cause for the people there, but it does not mean that we have to paralyze city life and ignore the fact that city squares are always a place for people to gather, ”said the mayor of Vilnius.

Karbauskis spoke about speculation

Member of Seimas Ramūnas Karbauskis also unfavorably accepted such innovation in Vilnius. When asked where he specifically sees the problem, the politician said that such decisions by the mayor are very irresponsible.

“What happened to the beach on Monday is complete nonsense, insulting those people who understand what this square means for Lithuania. The mayor knows that 22 participants in the uprising of 1863-1864 are hanging in this plaza, next to that plaza is a building where thousands of people have been tortured and killed. It is clear that the circumstances in which this square becomes a beach are incomprehensible. I understand that the mayor gives a different meaning, freedom, to many Lithuanian people, but it is not the freedom to undress, but the freedom won by grandparents and great-grandparents.

At this point, it is a decision that the Seimas initiate an interpretation of what could be done in such squares, that is, in this square. This decision will certainly not limit the fact that there will no longer be ice rinks. We talk more about moral things. A half-naked person who is sunbathing is not the same as skating children or families in the winter. I think there is speculation on both sides. On the one hand, there is talk that we are supposedly trying to restrict freedom. Such events, such beaches would not be possible in this square, it would be defined by law, ”says R. Karbauskis.

The politician cannot understand the decision as to why, of all possible places in Vilnius, the beach should have appeared on Lukiškės Square.

“Kartuvės was probably where the beach is now,” added R. Karbauskis. According to him, a naked body and a beach are the limits of what cannot be done in Vilnius. “There are no beaches in this plaza.”

When asked what R. Šimašius himself would not allow to be done in Lukiškės Square, he assured that there are general rules to be followed.

“We should probably talk not only about Lukiškės Square, but also about other places in the city. I want to emphasize that there are places that are really only for serious purposes, like cemeteries. (…) As for the square, there are rules rules and decency rules to be followed, “said the mayor of Vilnius.

The bill is scheduled to be presented to Seimas on Thursday, and R. Karbauskis promises to urgently consider it and adopt another session, that is. and. until next Tuesday.

He claimed that the Vilnius city government had violated “any principle of respect for our history” by installing a temporary beach on Lukiškės Square.

“The participants in the uprising were also killed in that square, many things that do not allow such phenomena, which were taken by the Vilna municipality,” said R. Karbauskis.

The city municipality announced on Monday morning that the installation of an artificial beach is beginning on Lukiškės Square in the center of Vilnius.

This week, the 1,660-square-meter beach was dumped in the Lukiškės Square part, near Gediminas Avenue, about 300 cubic meters of sand were used for this purpose.

The beach will be on the square throughout the summer, and next to it until the end of July there will be a large screen, the content of which is in charge of Telia: movies, series, Telia TV concerts and views of the Baltic Sea will be shown every night during the day.

The Vilnius Mayor explained that the beach at Lukiškės Square was equipped to enjoy freedom. Critics say such a project is unsuitable for Lukiškės Square, and also criticize the fact that neither the public nor the city council or administration were consulted during project planning.