Kaunas mayor announces bid for third term in office

Kaunas Mayor Visvaldas Matijošaitis has confirmed he will seek a third term in next year’s municipal elections, according to a report by LRT.

Matijošaitis, who has led the city since 2015, said he plans to continue infrastructure projects, including bridge construction and green space development. “I will likely run,” he told LRT Television, though he admitted he had not yet informed his family of the decision.

The mayor acknowledged that only about 80% of his current term’s planned projects had been completed, citing lengthy public procurement processes as a key obstacle. “You want everything faster, and I could have rested by now if it had all been finished in one term,” he said, adding that central government support could ease the city’s burden.

Matijošaitis claimed public feedback had been largely positive, noting that residents—including those returning after years abroad—often praise the city’s transformation. “People stop me on Laisvės Avenue to say they barely recognise Kaunas now,” he said. Three new bridges are expected to open this year.

When asked about voter support, the mayor remained dismissive of criticism: “Generations change—some will whistle, some will spit, some will clap, others will raise a finger. But maybe 10% act that way; the rest are normal.” He added that his focus would remain on completing ongoing projects if re-elected.

So far, only one other candidate—Social Democrat MP Audrius Radvilavičius—has publicly announced a bid for mayor in the 2027 municipal elections.