Photo: Zivile Pinskuviene is Mayor of Sirvintos Photo: The Sirvintos municipality is mostly led by women leaders Photo: Zivile Pinskuviene cherishes traditional values and loves children (by Nendre Zilinskaite) a town of approximately six thousand people in central Lithuania compact with a new leisure infrastructure on the rise Sirvintos is picked by both families and singles to live the bright Northern star in the country’s mayoral sky often goes against the grain in defending interests of the town and her values.  The Baltic Times Magazine sat down with Z Pinskuviene to talk about the municipal affairs what it takes to be a strong woman and yourself What are your most favourite and most important projects implemented in Sirvintos Municipality in recent years every work and project is important insofar as it responds to the needs of a particular social group Sirvintos is best known for the big projects: the football stadium the trail around the pond – they are important for the needs of children young people and active lifestyle enthusiasts growing up in our district and they open the doors of Sirvintos to visitors from other districts But the smaller works are just as important –  the improvement of schools universal sports grounds in all the elderships or creating an open-air stage for amateur performances in a remote town each of these works is welcomed by the people encourages them to choose Sirvintos as their living location You often go against the grain in defending Sirvintos interests and your values.  I guess that makes it uneasy to strike a chord with officials in Vilnius Why are you so blunt and straight-forward without the plum in your mouth I believe it can look like that from the side It's because I'm blunt that I don't know how to wrap words in glossy paper But just because I am vocal does not mean that I am some kind of malicious person Perhaps it is difficult for those civil servants who spend their days in Vilnius to understand what is going on away from the capital or other big cities to bring their problems into the open and to find solutions the money allocated to municipalities to be used to solve these problems I think that people understand this and they see it very well because I have managed to win the direct mayoral elections 3 times in a row and by an increasing margin What has shaped you as a person and a politician Very often you openly express your love for your husband Jonas is the Chairman of the Party of the Regions of Lithuania Has everything in your life been all roses We have been married for 25 years and I can honestly say that I am a happy woman My husband and I often say that we are meant for each other diplomatic man with a Samogitian stubbornness Sometimes I manage to ignite him with an idea sometimes he puts me out and makes me think so we understand each other well and respect each other's choices I have no doubt that the Party of the Regions of Lithuania is preparing for next year's elections to the Seimas and the European Parliament What messages is the party sending out to hope for seats in both I am really happy and proud that the Party of the Regions of Lithuania although a relatively young political force and strengthening healthy lifestyles and sportsmanship are its top priorities would reflect these values not only in their speeches but also in their actions I think that in this way our Regional Party of Lithuania is very different from the others very often on TV screens and in the headlines of articles to raising one's hand for a decision that is really important for everyone vote with their "little feet".  What do you miss in the work and communication among this Government It is difficult to see and listen to the constant bickering and contradictions the unfulfilled promise of the ruling parties remains the strengthening of the regions and the reduction of social exclusion which novelties of the Local Government Law which entered into force at the beginning of this year Do you think they are excessive or even inappropriate How many orders do you sign in an average working day as Mayor?  the new law has buried all mayors in stacks of paper must now not only read all the documents he receives in the municipality but must also look into all the areas involved there are specialists working in many fields and they come to the conclusion that it is necessary to remove a child from the family the final decision is brought to the mayor for signature Who will take it and sign it without looking into it this is not a case of taking a kitten away you analyse – there are only a certain number of hours in the day if it wasn't for my trusted team and the relationships I have built up over the years Sirvintos is like a Republican stronghold state with a lot of conservatism You have even banned the Life Skills curriculum acquainting pupils with the various forms of sexuality from being taught in your district was being taught in  Sirvintos district before all this and we have certainly agreed unanimously with all the headmistresses of kindergartens and schools We are not homophobic – people can choose But let's face it – children are born and we can certainly leave the fairy tales about the two princes who got married and were happy for the rest of their lives out of the nurseries.  When Vilnius could not find a place for a monument to the famous poet Justinas Marcinkevicius Sirvintos hastened to say that they would be happy to erect one in their town Have all the  issues already been agreed on and the personality of Justinas Marcinkevicius who uplifted the whole of Lithuania during the Sajudis (national independence movement) years it would be an honour for every city to commemorate the poet and his work I am glad that the first stages of the competition have been successfully passed in Sirvintos the sculptor Liutauras Grieze and the art critic Laura Kesyte and that we hope that the sculpture "The Reading Girl" which is dedicated to the children's lineage of Marcinkevicius' work will be unveiled in Sirvintos in the spring of 2024 Forgive me for my sexist question: you are a fascinating woman Is it now a sign of bad taste or political incorrectness for men to compliment a woman's appearance my team and I have done a lot of work to transform Sirvintos from a gloomy But I'm still judged mostly by my appearance It's very nice to hear it from my husband I'm sure that in a business meeting no one really starts a conversation with a man by sayying – how handsome you look I am with a cup of coffee in my hands and a discussion of current affairs in the family bed has already been started (smiles) And the end is around midnight – with a phone in hand in the same location (smiles) But I chose this path myself because I consider it important to be with people and among the people to feel the pulse of life of Sirvintos district because we make all the decisions in relation to  Sirvintos district I will not lie – I have no free time I am also a woman who still has a household housework and at least a few corners of the house in her hands.  I go on holiday to warm countries once a year during the cold season Even though the municipality is at the height of its business in the summer it is a real treat to escape to the Lithuanian seaside for a weekend or two What is your long-term vision for Sirvintos District My team and I went into the 2015 municipal elections with some serious “homework” done With a clear vision and the slogan "For Changes" to illustrate it it is very good to see that changes have become a reality and that those changes are followed by new The emphasis on sportsmanship and health has been the basis on which we are focused when planning our work I am convinced that an active lifestyle and sport are the best preventive measures because of all the dangers of drugs and e-cigarettes mobility and sociability for as long as possible as a means of communication and close relationship the same prayer in our hearts – that the chaos we could wonder without tension who got married 2024 is also an election year in Lithuania but also to ask people to do their research to be angry that it's "not them" I would like to wish everyone the greatest happiness in his or her life – stay healthy and successful A subscription to The Baltic Times is a cost-effective way of staying in touch with the latest Baltic news and views enabling you full access from anywhere with an Internet connection. Subscribe Now! 2025 © The Baltic Times /Cookies Policy Privacy Policy Mpox (monkeypox) Campaigns Events Multimedia Newsletters Spotlights The European Health Report 2024 Ukraine emergency Second European Programme of Work it is crucial to ensure availability of and access to functioning hospitals Hospitals help those affected by emergencies while also handling the normal everyday flow of patients have a chronic illness or are giving birth Hospitals play a paramount role in providing health care but they also help to maintain the population’s trust in the health-care system and state structures.  hospital spending accounts for the vast majority of governmental health budgets This covers the highly qualified personnel needed and the purchase and maintenance of expensive equipment and supplies A dual-track approach that couples emergency preparedness planning with the strengthening of everyday health systems is therefore in everyone’s best interests Protecting flows of water and electricity and the physical structure of buildings are just some of the aspects of hospital resilience; ensuring appropriate financial structures staffing and up-to-date emergency response plans that are flexible and fit for purpose is no less important Hospitals must also anticipate increased risk from natural disasters such as flooding and wildfires due to climate change and the potential for biological outbreaks or the impact of conflict.  WHO has been conducting trainings using specially designed guidance and tools that support hospital staff to address issues of hospital safety and response coordination in times of crisis.  and strategy and guideline development in Lithuania and Bosnia and Herzegovina have helped build resilience into these Member States’ health facilities WHO/Europe and the Country Health Emergency Preparedness and International Health Regulations (IHR) programme together with the WHO Country Office in Lithuania and the Health Emergency Situations Centre of the Ministry of Health organized a 3-day training on the Hospital Safety Index (HSI) in Vilnius on 13–15 December 2023.  The training was attended by 26 Lithuanian health-care specialists It consisted of a mixture of theoretical lessons group activities and an assessment visit to a hospital in Širvintos District Municipality to teach the practical application of the HSI Deputy Director of the Extreme Health Situations Centre of the Ministry of Health there were no such systematic assessments of health-care institutions Practical application of the tool provides opportunities to analyse and evaluate health-care institutions and systems and the allocation of resources for their targeted improvement.” Chief Adviser at the Preparedness Office in the Public Health Department at the Ministry of Health also acknowledged the importance of the HSI: “The HSI is planned to be integrated into the Order of the Minister of Health which will regulate personal and public health-care institutions’ preparedness and the organization of their activities during emergency situations.” which was assessed during the hands-on training “We are very grateful that Širvintos Hospital was chosen for the practical part of the training this will help us to properly form a brief for architects to design the new health centre for Širvintos Municipality.” This training was one of a number of hospital preparedness initiatives that the country will implement to ensure longer-term health facility preparedness and resilience in Lithuania The Ministry of Health will now digitalize the WHO tool to guarantee access to a network of safety managers in hospitals and smaller health-care facilities.  In 2024 the Ministry will also conduct a WHO-led training of trainers to roll out HSI assessments to all hospitals in the country and then institutionalize regular safety assessments.  The first-ever subregional training in the Western Balkans on the use of the HSI was held in March 2023 in Durrës with technical input from WHO and financial support from the European Union.  this time focusing on hospital emergency response plans (H-ERPs) in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 of the 2 entities that make up Bosnia and Herzegovina routinely reviewing and updating these plans are key elements of the WHO Safe Hospital Initiative.  The training was attended by more than 40 participants from 15 of the 19 hospitals in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina the Agency for Quality and Accreditation in Health Care and the Civil Protection Administration of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Hospitals with existing H-ERPs were shown how to update and revise their plans and hospitals without H-ERPs were encouraged to develop their plans.  Professor at Sarajevo University Clinical Centre Expert Adviser on Programming and Planning of Protection and Rescue for the Civil Protection Administration of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Graduate Nurse at the Hygiene and Epidemiology Surveillance Unit of the Cantonal Hospital Zenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina meaning safety of patients and health professionals with a magnitude of 4.7 on the Richter scale has been a stark warning to all to assess risks and prepare for disasters as we do not know when one can strike.” all participating hospitals were asked to conduct self-assessments using the HSI tool and to start drafting or updating their hospital plans To ensure better protection and functioning of health facilities in emergencies all hospitals have been instructed by the Ministry of Health to conduct an HSI assessment and to draft or update hospital preparedness and response plans Making health Facilities Safe in Emergencies and disasters Hospital Safety Index: guide for evaluators Lithuania North Macedonia sales of hot drinks and sweets will take place near the Christmas tree in Širvintos "Don't tell me you've never heard that Širvintos is a kingdom?!" In various contexts - both mockingly and to emphasize some uniqueness Širvintos district cannot be created by one person - this region is created by everyone who lives and works the miracles it gives - the kingdom - can be born in the heart of every person It is with this message that we invite and welcome everyone in Širvintos this year: residents of Širvintos admire and sit on a real throne determined to be the master of your life mayor of the municipality Živilė Pinskuvienė The theme of the Christmas Kingdom will unite the whole city: illuminated Plento Street Igno Šeiniaus Alley will invite you to enter it and a Christmas telephone will be available from which you can call and talk to Santa Claus himself but also a magical carriage and the symbol of the coming year - a dragon that brings good luck The Christmas tree lighting ceremony will be led by singer Stano the children's and youth group "Hey" will perform and you can see a Christmas fairy tale in a magical snowball Feel like a real ruler and move into a real kingdom Širvintas will invite everyone on November 30 We invite little princes and princesses to come to the celebration after preparing and making a symbolic crown at home everyone will be able to sit on a real throne Christmas time is exactly when miracles happen reproduction and distribution are permitted only with the written consent of UAB "Naujosios medijos grupė" the competition is on: which town has the prettiest is that more are opting for natural spruces eschewing geometrical perfection that can only be achieved with artificial frames remain a must – with the darkest month of the year upon us Christmas trees must shine and sparkle in the dark Take a look at the Christmas trees across Lithuania: According to LHMS data and residents’ reports fierce tornadoes were raging in Lithuania in the afternoon of 13 July Although it is doubtful whether it was two different tornadoes or one that weakened reports indicate that at around 16:00 the disaster struck the village of Jauniškės in the district of Kelme trees and electricity pylons uprooted.Translated with DeepL.com (free version) The second tornado appeared around 17:00 in the villages of Vileikiai Meškiškės and Einoraičiai in Šiauliai District but over a larger area: roofs of houses were destroyed a car was smashed and electricity was cut off there were no significant injuries to health Wind measurements at the centre of the storm were not taken due to the destructive power of the vortices the strength of tornadoes is rated on Ted Fujita’s F scale the latter tornado could be classified as F2 with wind speeds in the middle of the eddies of 60-70 m/s The LHMS has officially registered 40 tornadoes.The most powerful one so far (tractor lifted person killed) was recorded on 29 May 1981 in Širvintos This 2024 tornado is equivalent to the 1981 Širvintos tornado and the 2011 Ginkūnai Šiauliai suburban tornado.All three tornadoes are classified as F2 and had wind speeds of up to 70 m/s Historical photographs show that the damage in Širvintos was quite similar to the current damage so there is no evidence that this tornado was stronger than an F2 rating Although nature has shown its power this time the communion of Lithuanian citizens is of paramount importance now share resources and other assets.Municipalities must be actively involved and provide assistance to those affected.Only by working together can we overcome the effects of this disaster and rebuild what has been lost we see once again that strength lies in unity and the ability to help each other Let us stand together and support each other in this time of trial We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze how you use this website and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors VILNIUS – Lithuanian vehicle trader Auto Pirkliai is building an assembly plant for Belarusian Belarus tractors in Lithuania's Sirvintos District for 1.7 million euros after signing a licensing agreement to use the brand Auto Pirkliai head Vitauras Zilenas says a tractor assembly sale and maintenance center will be built and 36- and 63-horse power tractors will be assembled there Amid ongoing legal proceedings over the use of the Belarus brand Auto Pirkliai have signed a licensing agreement on the use of the brands and are paying a fee for sold products The Verslo Zinio daily wrote earlier that US company Suraleb arrested the Belarusian tractor producer's assets in Lithuania in September as part of effort to recover debt from the Belarusian company During the execution of the arbitration ruling Minsk Tractor Works and its branch in Lithuania were demanded movable and immovable assets worth 3.3 million euros as well as data on property rights and monetary assets the MTZ and Belarus brands that belong to Minsk Tractor Works were also seized as well as the special labeling system used to mark all spare parts for Belarus tractors “I absolutely reject them as they are untrue,” he told reporters on Wednesday in Širvintos on Wednesday The Seimas commission concluded earlier this week that VSD director Darius Jauniškis had assisted Nausėda in doing background checks on his team members and supporters in 2019 when he was running for president The commission also concluded that the list of individuals to be checked was given to the intelligence service by Nausėda himself either directly or through an intermediary insists that he did not ask the VSD to gather information on his inner circle The commission has not established anything new on this issue only the same truth that was told before: I could not give any tasks to anyone as I was an ordinary citizen an unemployed Gitanas Nausėda who decided to run for president,” the president said adding that he has “very serious doubts” about the commission’s findings The commission’s report – which has yet to be voted on by the parliament – also states that Nausėda’s refusal to testify before the commission is a violation of his oath of office arguing that when he received the questions commission chairman Vytautas Bakas said the conclusions were already being written “This implies that the commission had already drawn its own conclusions and that these conclusions were probably known from the very start,” the president said adding that the parliamentary commission was set up “with the aim of discrediting” him Nausėda also lamented that the Special Investigation Service (STT) and the Prosecutor General’s Office were all made “hostages of this political farce” He compared the latest commission to the commission set up about five years ago to investigate the causes of the 2007–2008 financial crisis and its management in Lithuania “It was also set up a few months before the election And [Prime Minister] Ingrida Šimonytė seemed to be one of its targets came in trying to say that they would do things differently but they are doing exactly the same thing as the previous government was doing five years ago Our political culture is stamping its feet,” the president said The commission also stated that STT chief Linas Pernavas refused to disclose information for the investigation and thus abused his office It also concluded that VSD chief Jauniškis provided misleading information to the commission The commission unanimously approved the findings critics note that it did not include any opposition MPs except Bakas who sits with the Democrats For Lithuania group This has led the president to claim that the commission and its investigation were politically motivated and that “Bakas was used to give it at least some legitimacy” Mr Bakas was the chief of election HQ of my rival Saulius Skvernelis,” Nausėda pointed out suggesting that the MP is trying to “square accounts” “This commission has nothing to do with the desire to find the objective truth,” Nausėda said and called the commission’s proposal to “assess the appropriateness of the institute of criminal intelligence” dangerous The commission also claims to have received evidence of contacts between Nausėda’s team and individuals linked to the Belarusian fertiliser business The Lithuanian government banned transit of Belarusian fertiliser exports via its territory following the suppression of protests by Minsk in 2020 The president reportedly opposed the sanctions an investigative report published last year as a book alleged that brothers Andrius and Vilius Nikitinas had links to the Belarusian fertiliser business The commission also claims that some high-ranking officials from the president’s office met with representatives of the Belarusian fertiliser business but they withheld this information when testifying before the commission The commission vows to refer such testimonies to the Prosecutor General’s Office The Seimas investigators also concluded that in June 2021 when Lithuania was developing campaigning for sanctions on Belarusian fertilisers in the European Council Nausėda actively trying through his advisors to stop them the sanctions on Belarusian fertilisers were imposed by both the EU and the United States and their transit through Lithuania was stopped “I have not communicated with the Nikitinas brothers there was some confirmed or unconfirmed fact about one of my team members but that team member was no longer working at the presidential office when we were discussing the sanction issue,” Nausėda stated He insisted he was working hard to have the EU introduce sanctions on Russian and Belarus “Both regarding the fertilisers and other goods It is unfair to hear such reproaches from members of the Seimas who to a man who himself was directly involved in the meetings where decisions were made and who tried to introduce the most stringent sanction regime,” he said The commission’s conclusions have yet to be approved by the full parliament The ruling block is pooling support for such a decision and part of the coalition is counting on opposition votes to have the report approved Lithuanian MPs who conducted the parliamentary inquiry into the VSD whistleblower case said on Wednesday that their conclusion about Gitanas Nauseda's vulnerability is supported by collected evidence but they do not plan to initiate impeachment proceedings against the president “There is no speculation here; the conclusion is based on evidence,” the commission’s chairman Vytautas Bakas told a news conference on Wednesday His statement was echoed by other members of the panel Conservative MP Bronislovas Matelis said the commission’s conclusion that Nausėda is exposed and that he may have broken his oath does not mean that he should be impeached another MP of the ruling conservative Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats also said that “this is not a document that implies the start of impeachment” With only three months left until the end of Nausėda’s current term of office there would not be enough time for an impeachment procedure Rain in Vilnius PHOTO: DELFI skaitytojai The thunderstorm that ripped through Lithuania on Tuesday night and early hours of Wednesday caused substantial damage across the country rupturing a gas pipeline and interrupting traffic for a few hours on some streets due to massive rainfall Bottom levels of some largest malls in Vilnius were also flooded The downpour left a few thousand households powerless with the electricity outage still being repaired on Wednesday morning According to information provided by fire-and-rescue services the rupture of a gas pipeline by lightning was reported in Utena (eastern Lithuania) at 8:28 p.m The fire-and-rescue services fenced off the territory until the arrival of the gas repairs service electricity supplies were subsequently cut off for water removal Širvintos Mayor Živilė Pinskuvienė said the situation in the city was catastrophic the worst situation is in the district hospital which is considering evacuation of patients The municipality's archives have also been flooded and out of electricity Pumping facilities in the Lithuanian power plant were flooded according to a report received at 9:35 p.m Fire-and-rescue services removed the water Weather services told BNS that 45 mm of precipitation was reported in Vilnius on Tuesday evening and early hours of Wednesday which is less than during the last heavy rainfall in late June when the rainfall was 55 mm The heaviest rainfall on Tuesday and Wednesday was in Elektrėnai with the rainfall reaching catastrophic level of 80 mm The precipitation level in Trakai and Molėtai was torrential at 78 mm and 54 mm Heavy rainfall was also reported in the Ignalina district (53 mm), Švenčionys (46 mm) and Alytus (34 mm). Weather VilniusThe Christmas tree in the Lithuanian capital is well hidden – the actual tree is located inside a blocky exoskeleton Read more: Crowding around Christmas lights will lead to spike in infections, say Lithuanian health officials The dessert-like Christmas tree in Kaunas has been inspired by meringues PanevėžysThe tree in Lithuania’s fifth largest city measures 18 metres in height Some 66,000 LEDs were used for decorations Jonava in central Lithuania has also unveiled an innovative Christmas tree park around it a town of some 6,000 people in eastern Lithuania surrounded their Christmas tree in the town square with other decorations Perhaps some of the most needed traits amid the pandemic One of the first towns to unveil their Christmas lights was Visaginas in northeastern Lithuania The town of some 18,000 people opted for a smart display – visitors can send text messages and choose a Christmas song for the tree to 'dance' to Read more: Lithuania may limit group sizes to two people, ban ads of sales the basketball players of Anykščiai "KKSC-Elmis" (3-1) achieved victory ran away from their opponents already in the first half Vilnius could not score more than 14 points in any quarter It was the third victory for the Anykščiai team Both these teams are at the top of Group A of Division B Tautvydas Jodelis played the most productive match in the ranks of the winners with 15 points Gustavas Vingrys and Jonas Skramtai scored 6 each Širvintos-UHB Group (2-2) crushed Marijampolė sports center (121-48) 27:19 (30:12 The intrigue in the match continued in the first half when the home team did not manage to pull away with a double-digit difference (27:19) the home team played two quarters of 30 points each and sealed their victory with a phenomenal fourth quarter the Širvintos club ranks third in Group A of Division B at that time it was the second failure for the Marijampolians and they are in tenth place As many as six basketball players scored double-digit points for the winners and the most productive players were Rokas Jukonis with 22 points Martynas Ramanauskas with 20 and Paulius Čiutas with 13 points Timas Dirma added 11 points for Marijampolians