Dalia Bardauskiene, Arch.
The Advisor to the Mayor of Vilnius - Lithuania
E-mail: Dalia.Bardauskiene@vilnius.lt
Vilnius Urban Development in the EU Context
(urban culture & signs & thoughts)
1. Introduction
Like many other cities in the Eastern and Central Europe, Vilnius has a rich history and a distinctive
urban culture, which formed in the junction of the Eastern and Western cultures and is marked by
isolation and restrictions of the creative thought. Despite the location of Vilnius in the outskirts of the
European urban network, this is where, since its foundation, various cultures have been interacting,
intellectual thoughts have been formed, social and economical life has been boiling. Together with
Lithuanians, the Polish, Russian, Byelorussian, German, Jewish, Tartar and other communities lived,
created and built here according to their traditions, adapting to the local conditions. This is the basis
for the distinction of Vilnius, which is reflected in its physical features, traditions and culture.
Over more than ten years of the restitution of Independence Vilnius has been going through
complicated socio-economical and urban changes. In comparison to what it looked right after
Independence, today Vilnius is experiencing a dynamic and active period of revival and changes,
crowned with the membership in the European Union.
2. Signs and Thoughts of Today
The urban features and the active life of Vilnius show clear signs of the 21 century: the revitalization
Old Town, a new City centre expansion on the right bank of the Neris river with the Constitution
avenue, high rise office, business and residential buildings, new jobs in modern business, amusement
and trade services, improving environmental quality and a liberating personality of the knowledge
world.
Administrative capacities of the town strengthened, management policy changed: the traditional
“prohibition, control of development and providing of traditional services” was replaced by the
modern “encouragement, cooperation and partnership in facilitating the development and providing of
services”. Urban planning process becoming open, plans are subject to public hearings. It creates a
favourable environment for investments into urban development.
At the same time, in line with the democracy, the citizens and experts discussing the future of the
town: the harmony of “the new and the old”, the sustainable urban development policy, the quality
standards and their conformity with the old European traditions. According to the evaluations of some
members of the society and experts, the obvious changes and their results, as a concern, are too rapid,
lacking maturity and too modern. However, next to everyone agrees that the urban development is
moving to the right direction, while the delay in anticipation of perfectionist solutions and marking
time in the conditions of competition may bring disastrous effects.
3. Economy profile
Vilnius has developed communication, cultural and economic relations with the most innovative and
competitive cities of the Nordic dimension states, of the Baltic states, of the CIS, of the Eastern and
Western Europe. With the population of 553,000, Vilnius produces around 30 % of the national GDP
and attracts about 4,000 Euro TUI per capita. The stability in the population growth followed the
decline, which the town faced upon the restitution of Independence. The unemployment is low, just
4,0 %. About 1/3 of all national construction works are carried out here. A former industrial town (the
employment in industry made up 40% in the Soviet years) is turning into an intellectual capital of the
EU with a developed services sector.
In recent ten years the urban area has been expanded from 287 to 402 sq. km. Agricultural districts
with a poor engineering and service infrastructure were connected to the urban areas. Due to the
ongoing agricultural reform and the restitution of the land property, the use of the territory for the
public purposes or large projects is virtually impossible.
4. The role of the Municipality in Urban Development
In Lithuania the competence of municipalities in the area of urban development is determined by the
traditions of communication between the national government and the Lithuanian municipal
institutions, political culture, rights and obligations defined in the legislation, human resources of
municipal institutions, creative management and, last but not the least, the availability of financial
resources. According to these criteria, additional efforts are required for the municipal institution of
Vilnius to become the true master of the city. Municipal powers in urban development were
diminished after the Administration reform of 1996, resulting in the transfer of many important
municipal functions to the regional administrations. Today the planning is state function dedicated to
the city. The state has many legal, financial and political possibilities to influence on urban
development without responsibility to the final results.
5. Urban Planning and New Planning Culture
The foundation for the present urban development results was made immediately after the restitution
of Independence, with the City Council decisions adopting “The Vision of Vilnius 2015” (1996) and
the Master Plan of the City of Vilnius till 2005 (1998).
Seeking the EU membership, the city took active role in the demonstration of the true status of the
capital city and to the competition potential in the international market. Vilnius City Strategy Plan
covering the period till 2011 was prepared with the purpose, creating the planning system, which
linked the long-term plans with the mid-term plans, with the implementation programs and with the
city budget. The enforcement of these plans is in place and under continuous improvement.
The basis for the decisions of the city Council is the vision: „Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, the
most up-to-date city of the Central and Eastern Europe, international political, business, scientific and
cultural centre” with the following long-term development priorities: Increase of competitiveness of
Vilnius; Creation of progressive society; Development of new economy; Development of
communication and engineering infrastructure.
6. Conclusions
Today Vilnius is turning into one of the most rapid developing city in the Baltic region. Forecasting
the future of the city in Europe Union, I see a growing competition, globalization and a bigger
possibilities to use knowledge, to attract investments. The European cities are moving forward and
programming their future. Vilnius is also resolving the new tasks. The preparation of the new Vilnius
City Development Plan till 2020 started, which will assess the urban development policy of the
transition period and provide development milestones for the new century.
A single town may not succeed without being in international network, learning from international
knowledge and preservation of the local distinctive urban structure and the developing of the civil
society.