Proposed legal amendments could help demolish Moscow House in Vilnius

Amendments to Lithuania’s Charity and Support Law, set to be presented to the Seimas on Tuesday, could provide Vilnius with a solution to the long-stalled demolition of the Moscow House building, according to Speaker Juozas Olekas.

The proposed changes, registered by MP Martynas Katelynas of the Social Democratic Party, would allow state institutions to accept support not only in the form of services but also as physical work—potentially enabling businesses to demolish the structure at their own expense.

“Colleague Katelynas has proposed amendments that would resolve a persistent issue in Vilnius—the demolition of the so-called Moscow House,” Olekas told journalists. “There have been repeated attempts to tear it down, but financial obstacles always arose. Now, initiatives suggest doing this work through charity, and if the Seimas approves, we could finally address this eyesore in the city center.”

Under current law, charity and support are limited to monetary funds, property, a 1.2% share of personal income tax, or provided services—but not labor. The State Territorial Planning and Construction Inspectorate (VTPSI) would oversee the process, though its head, Albertas Stanislovaitis, has cautioned that accepting corporate labor as support could raise transparency concerns.

Vilnius Mayor Valdas Benkunskas previously stated that if the legal changes fail, the Inspectorate will announce a new demolition tender—potentially delaying the process by years. The site, owned by the public institution Moscow Culture and Business Center (75% controlled by Moscow-based shareholders), is slated for transfer to a Ukrainian religious community, per preliminary agreements.

The Supreme Court of Lithuania confirmed last year that the demolition tender could proceed. The Moscow House project, launched in 2004, has faced repeated delays, prompting Benkunskas to request the Prosecutor General’s Office evaluate public-interest enforcement measures.