Vilnius district faces obstacles in allocating premises for riflemen

Vilnius district municipality is debating whether to allocate premises to the Tadeusz Kościuszko riflemen’s unit of the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union, LRT reports. While the unit has secured funding, the decision has stalled in municipal committees.

The riflemen’s unit, part of the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union, began seeking premises over a year ago, identifying a former school and an unused building. However, the issue has faced resistance, particularly from representatives of the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania–Christian Families Alliance (LLRA-KŠS) in the Education, Culture, Sports, and Youth Affairs Committee.

Former Vilnius district mayor Marija Rekst acknowledged during a committee broadcast that people had approached them, though she provided no further evidence. Waldemaras Urbanas, Deputy Minister of Economy and Innovation and a Vilnius district council member, noted that disagreements arose over whether the premises could serve other needs, such as for elderly care. “We lack sufficient space in our municipality and currently purchase these services from private businesses in other municipalities,” Urbanas stated.

Vilnius district mayor Robertas Duchnevičius suggested a compromise: leasing the premises for one year instead of a decade, allowing for the possibility of extending or terminating the agreement. He attributed the delays to personal biases, stating, “Some politicians who do not understand are trying to demonstrate their power through such decisions. Ultimately, this is not just about the Riflemen’s Union as an organisation but about our security interests in general.”

The roots of the disagreement trace back to the 2023 municipal elections, where Duchnevičius narrowly defeated Urbanas by 526 votes. LLRA-KŠS chairman Waldemaras Tomaszewski publicly accused election observers, particularly riflemen, of pressuring voters. “There was a kind of moral terrorising of voters when 200 armed organisation members obstructed the expression of will,” Tomaszewski claimed immediately after the elections. He later elaborated, citing an incident where three voters were allegedly detained for two hours on suspicion of intoxication, though tests showed no alcohol. The Supreme Administrative Court later decided not to recount the votes in Vilnius district.

During committee discussions, Rekst remarked, “I remember that they stole W. Urbanas’ votes and added them to R. Duchnevičius’ votes. It was like that. And how do you remember? I forgot. Oh, what a pity that I forgot. They stole 100 votes.”

LLRA-KŠS representatives questioned the need for premises for the riflemen, their intended activities, and the purpose of their work. However, Urbanas clarified that there was no opposition to the riflemen. “We are truly not against anyone, not against this organisation. We respect the Riflemen’s Union and see its contribution to the country’s security and defence, and the municipality can indeed find these premises,” he said.

Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas stated that the situation must be resolved.