At the council meeting, there was a flurry of questions for the solution projects proposed by the liberals

The meeting of the Klaipėda District Municipal Council, which took place on the last Thursday of March, was extremely active, as many as 78 agenda items and 9 pieces of information were discussed. The most debated was the draft decision submitted by the opposition – the liberals – regarding the change in the description of the program for supporting civil resistance organizations in the Klaipėda district and the procedure for supporting athletes.
26 out of 27 Council members participated in the Council meeting.
Revised budget and plan
At the meeting of the Klaipėda District Municipal Council, the members of the Council unanimously approved the draft decision regarding the purchase of rent of premises suitable for the operation of the cooperation center “Spiečius” in the city of Gargžda. The draft decision “On the strategic activity plan of Klaipėda district municipality for 2024-2026″ was also approved. approval” amendment, 18 Council members voted for the draft decision, 8 abstained. The revision of the 2024 budget of the Klaipėda district municipality was also approved, after which budget revenues and appropriations are increased by 659,373 euros. 17 Council members approved this item on the agenda, 9 abstained.
Focus on civil resistance
The draft decision regarding the approval of the description of the procedure for supporting civil resistance organizations in the Klaipėda district was discussed at the council meeting. As we already wrote in “Banga”, this draft decision was submitted and prepared by the Liberal Movement faction. The leader of the opposition, liberal Justas Ruškys explained at the Council meeting that the purpose of the draft decision is that in the current geopolitical situation, the Municipality should contribute financially to the preparation of the country’s citizens for armed and non-violent civil resistance (against external threats), thus helping to properly equip organizations with the necessary resources for the implementation and public dissemination of their programs means. “Let’s be the ones who contribute to the strengthening of civil society,” the leader of the opposition called to support the draft decision.
Preliminarily, for the implementation of the decision, it is necessary to provide a new measure “Supporting Civil Resistance Organizations” in the 2024-2026 strategic activity plan of the Klaipėda District Municipality. For a period of three years, at least EUR 20,000 is planned to be allocated to this measure every year. Municipal budget funds could be used by organizations to purchase or rent inventory, publicize activities, purchase services, organize events and camps.
Klaipėda district municipality mayor Bronius Markauskas, the ruling majority had various comments and questions. The mayor said that it would be possible to add such a priority of civil resistance to the non-formal education camps focused on patriotic education, to address the communities. B. Markauskas also questioned the concept of a paramilitary organization, because organizations calling themselves military may appear and claim support.
If smooth, the funds will be replenished
During the debates, the leader of the opposition, J. Ruškys, claimed that the title of the draft decision does not contain the concept of a paramilitary organization, it is a word from the common language. “The working group, setting the work regulations, will be able to define even more specific matters and measures. Mayor, let’s make one program, one clear system, how it works”, J. Ruškys said at the Council meeting.
Loreta Piaulokaitė-Motuzienė, a member of the Council and a member of the Lithuanian Peasants and Greens Union, asked if, apart from the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union, there were more organizations in the Klaipėda region that could apply for support. Another member of the Council, LVŽS member Sandra Matulionienė, seconded and emphasized that it is necessary to define the concepts of civil resistance organizations, to have a list of these organizations in the Klaipėda district, because now there are many unknowns in the draft decision.
Ligita Liutikienė, a member of the Council and a member of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party, expressed the position that this year’s budget has already been approved, one quarter of the year has already passed, and it will take time before the program is approved. “You should definitely agree, but my proposal would be to allocate 10,000 for this project this year. euros, to see how it works, and maybe in the course of the year, if it goes smoothly, we will supplement it,” suggested L. Liutikienė.
Liberal J. Ruškys approved the allocation of a smaller amount, since the most important thing is that the idea be implemented, and if it goes smoothly, it will be possible to allocate more funds. For the amended project of the decision on the approval of the program for supporting civil resistance organizations in Klaipėda district, providing 10 thousand. euro budget, 25 Council members voted, 1 abstained.
To improve the procedure for sponsoring athletes
As the last issue of the Council meeting, the draft decision regarding the Klaipėda District Municipal Council in 2018 was considered. December 20 decision no. T11-519 “Regarding the approval of the description of the procedure for sponsoring athletes representing Klaipėda district municipality, education, participation in world, European, and Lithuanian high-level competitions”.
As presented by Julius Pozingis, a member of the Council, a member of the Liberal Movement faction, the draft decision proposes to change the currently valid procedure for sponsoring athletes, specifying and supplementing it with allocation, use, settlement and control points of funds. The reason for proposing to change this procedure is the famous scandal of the Gargžda basketball club. However, although the members of the Council, the mayor, and the administration made the right decisions regarding the basketball club at the beginning of this year, now, according to J. Pozingis, it is necessary to look ahead and improve the existing procedures so that similar situations can be avoided in the future.
“So there are four major proposed changes. The first is the return of funds to the Municipality if the team/athlete withdraws or is excluded from the competition of the current season. Second, sponsorship funds transferred to the program executor are kept in a bank, separate accounting from other funds in that account is ensured. Thirdly, payments to the program executor according to the contract are made only after being fully convinced that the allocated funds for the previous period have been used properly, and fourthly, the conditions, if not fulfilled, the Municipality can unilaterally terminate the contract and oblige the program executor to return the funds”, the Council member noted the fundamental changes.
Will form a working group
Ugnė Tamošauskienė, the chief specialist (physical activity and sports) of the municipality’s Education and Sports Department, said that the changes to the procedure description proposed by the Liberal Movement faction are already being implemented, but they were not specified in the procedure description, but from 2019. in the concluded contracts, now the contracts have already been signed, so the new changes could enter into force from 2025.
Council member L. Piaulokaitė-Motuzienė said that she sees other “safeguards” in the amendment to the procedure description submitted by the Liberal Movement faction, which would help prevent similar situations in the future. In her opinion, a working group should be formed, which would submit proposals to the Klaipėda District Municipal Council regarding the change of the procedure description starting in 2025.
Mayor B. Markauskas proposed that the issue of the procedure description be discussed at the May Council meeting, and by that time a working group would be formed. It would be attended by members of the Council: 3 from the ruling majority and 3 from the opposition, as well as Administration employees and representatives of the sports community, who would discuss changes to the rules of procedure. All 26 members of the Council voted for this proposal.
After the vote, Council member A. Balnionienė asked the mayor about the Gargždai basketball club, which declared bankruptcy, and about the Municipality’s funds. The mayor explained that external lawyers are being consulted: “It’s really not like we are, so to speak, putting spoons together. I can’t say yet whether an appeal will be formulated to the prosecutor’s office or to the STT, but consultations are taking place now,” said B. Markauskas.
Gabriele ČIUNKAITĖ