There will be no more symbol of Kaunas shame: the station market awaits change

The first changes in the market

The market square next to the Kaunas train station is one of the places you don’t want to show off to guests coming to town. Some of the pavilions reminiscent of a slum, a meager roof to the queue, and a chaotic variety of products: this place is like a time capsule, taking us back to the gloomy 90s. It is a public secret that here You can still buy smuggled cigarettes and counterfeit alcohol or “branded” clothing of questionable origin.

The closed stock company Stoties turgus, which operated this market, had long been a real headache for the Kaunas municipality. Although the city owned and still owns a 51 percent controlling stake, the municipality was not even able to replace the director. Company bylaws stipulate that this requires 75%. the votes of the shareholders who control the shares.

In the absence of a consensus with the other shareholders, it was finally decided to approach the long-standing issues in a different way. After the formation of the market plot, the Kaunas municipality took over, and the employees of another company already collect the fee from the market traders.

The changes that have begun have been rumored

“The territory of the market never belonged to the company” Stoties turgus “. It was a very interesting situation, something started, but not completely finished, when the city authorities changed so much” primalized and intertwined “. There were some old agreements , something was implemented and something not, there is a lot of history in the company, and we are not inclined to evaluate it, so the decision was made to translate a new sheet and order everything as it should be.

Now we are going to liquidate this company, the shareholders will make a decision, but that would be the best solution. And to organize the territory of the market itself, to make it an attractive part of the city, ”said Antanas Etneris, chairman of the board of directors of UAB Stoties turgus, former adviser to the mayor of Kaunas, Visvaldas Matijošaitis.

After the municipality seized the territory of the market square, several rumors soon spread. Rumor has it that the market will simply be swept away and replaced by a Lidl store.

“We just realized that there were no such plans. The municipality has published architectural conditions to provide solutions on how this area should be managed. People should not get angry that we did not provide information. In fact, we cannot say because it has not yet been When we have several options, we will decide which is the most acceptable, “said A. Etner.

He mentioned that to ensure compliance with hygiene standards in the market, traders will be equipped with containers, modular markets, which have already been ordered.

“It must be a liquid asset that can be used elsewhere or sold later,” said A. Etner, chairman of the board of Stoties turgus, which no longer owns the market.

The company, whose shares belong to 51 percent of the Kaunas municipality, although it no longer controls the market, manages the real estate that belongs to it: apartments, a giant abandoned building next to the market.

The way in which these assets will be divided, if it is decided to liquidate the company, will be decided by the shareholders of the company.

A representative of the municipality confirmed: the market will remain

“Kaunas regained market territory in November last year. As trade takes place in this area, that is, permits are issued to trade in public places, the budgetary institution Parkavimas Kaune collects and administers the toll, and funds for markets they go directly to the city budget, ”said Paulius Keras, MP, Director of the Kaunas Municipality Administration.

He assured neighbors that rumors about the market closing and the transfer of the territory to large retail chains or other real estate developers are unfounded.

“The Kaunas City Municipality plans to announce the Station Market architecture competition this month, which will answer how this retail space will change, which so far has not received due attention. It has been left to the will of fate for many years. , so we will invite architects to present their ideas.Based on the best professional offers, we will undertake a major renovation and reconstruction of the market.

It is very important to emphasize that this will be precisely the architectural competition of the market, which in itself forces to maintain the same function. The city is not considering any other destinations in this location; the market will remain here, but it is desperately asking for an upgrade.

Especially since the completion of the Rail Baltica railway that passes through Kaunas will naturally give even more importance to this place and it will soon be a real gateway to Kaunas for guests arriving in our city by train, ”said P. Keras, Director Kaunas Deputy. Municipal administration.

The first signs of transformation will come soon

“Architecture, design, technical project preparation competition – all these procedures can take up to a couple of years. Not wanting to wait that long, this year we plan to renew the market territory so that it acquires a more decent overall image and becomes more attractive to Kaunas residents Planned to update cladding and fix lighting issues.

In the coming months, new and modern container-type trade pavilions are due to arrive in Kaunas. They will replace the old wooden kiosks so far on the MK Čiurlionio street side. Therefore, the significantly deteriorated facade of the market in this part should be noticeably renovated.

None of the merchants who work there will suffer as a result. The number of outlets here will remain unchanged, only they will be of higher quality and more convenient for the people who work and visit here. No other activity is possible here without trade and it is not planned in the future, ”said P. Keras, representative of the Kaunas municipality.

Other representatives of the municipality mentioned that in the long run they would like to turn the market, which has become a symbol of the shame of Kaunas, into an analog of the Benedict market in the capital.

The toll market can also be managed by car toll collectors.

While new containers are still expected to replace the slum markets, the market traders have already felt the first changes. The business permit can be purchased from a vending machine, where Kaunas residents pay for parking at taxable locations. The toll is collected by the budgetary institution “Parking in Kaunas” controlled by the municipality of Kaunas.

“It just came to our attention then. Why create a new facility if” Parking in Kaunas “has all the infrastructure to perform this function? Therefore, to save budget funds, that decision was made and the integration costs were minimal. ”, Said to Delfi A. Etner, president of the board of directors of Stoties turgus.

When asked who will manage this market in the future or if a new company will be established after the liquidation of the UAB Stoties turgų, A. Etneris said that he did not think it appropriate for the municipality to create new entities.

“I think the rational solution is to use a company (” Parking in Kaunas “- ed.), And not create lots of units. It is able to digitize, control vending machines that fit perfectly. Even a grandmother who has legally paid a few euros can happily trade on its own, ”said A. Etner.