Klaipėda district mayor undecided on running in upcoming municipal elections

Klaipėda District Municipality Mayor Bronius Markauskas has not yet decided whether he will run in the upcoming local elections, he told politika.lt in an interview published on Saturday.

Over the past decade, the district’s population has grown to nearly 80,000, while its budget has increased more than threefold, from €60 million to €201 million. Despite these achievements, Markauskas said he is still considering his options.

“I haven’t made a final decision yet. I enjoy being mayor—building, creating, and seeing tangible results. But I still have a good month to think about the future,” he said.

When asked about the factors behind the district’s growth, Markauskas noted that while some residents officially register in Klaipėda city, they actually live in the district due to limited availability in schools and kindergartens. He estimated that around 7,000 additional people fall into this category.

He acknowledged that the district’s development has been closely tied to Klaipėda’s proximity, as the city offers a major port and access to the Baltic Sea. However, he also observed a recent trend of people moving from other Lithuanian regions, though he expressed concern about the depopulation of those areas.

Markauskas highlighted the district’s natural attractions—including the Curonian Lagoon, the Minija River, the Baltic Sea, and Lake Kapstatas—as key to its identity and appeal. He emphasized the growing importance of water in shaping the region’s development, with tourism becoming a priority over industry for new residents.

He also pointed to successful projects such as the development of Karklė, home to the famous Olando Kepurė dune, as well as emerging destinations like Dreverna, Svencelė Island, and the Vėjo Miestelis (Wind Town) project.

Reflecting on the rapid progress, Markauskas noted that a concession agreement for the port with the company Hortivita was signed a decade ago, in 2015.