The price of promises: 150 thousand euros for a locked object
The story began when the state invested about 150,000 euros in the maintenance works of the Klaipėda lighthouse. The public and city authorities were publicly promised – the renovated object would be opened for educational visits. However, the promises were soon forgotten. Citing “geopolitical reasons” and the security of strategic port companies, it was decided to keep the lighthouse completely closed. The historic lighthouse hill was torn apart, access was removed, and the area was fenced off with opaque barriers.
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Although the object was later granted protection by the Cultural Heritage Department (CHD), an incomprehensible event occurred – the most important part of the lighthouse, the historic lantern (Fresnel lenses), was dismantled and officially handed over to the Lithuanian Sea Museum for safekeeping. The lighthouse was left not only without physical access for the public but also without its authentic heart.
International embarrassment incident on a public street
Eventually, the regime in place near the port crossed all bounds of common sense. On June 6 of this year, a German citizen, internationally recognized lighthouse ambassador André Kroboth, while standing on a public road (Burių St.) outside the fenced port area, was photographing the Klaipėda lighthouse by phone. Suddenly, private security guards from AB “KN Energies” ran up to the foreign guest and demanded in a raised tone that he immediately delete all photos from his personal phone. To avoid conflict, the tourist complied, but upon returning home, he spoke publicly about this “hospitality” on an international level.
On June 18, A. Jurkštas publicized this incident on his Facebook page, and after receiving official authorization from the German tourist to represent his interests, on July 4 he initiated a legal investigation and sent official letters to port structures and the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
Port authority defends itself, and “KN Energies” retreat opens a new absurdity
The correspondence between institutions revealed complete chaos based on the arbitrariness of port companies. The Klaipėda State Seaport Authority admitted in its official letter: “If a person is outside the fenced area and photographs only the publicly visible lighthouse, this fact alone is not a violation of the port regime, and the security guard should not demand the deletion of photos.” The port also revealed that the daily regime in this zone is set by AB “KN Energies,” which leases the plot.
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Finally, after the lighthouse keeper issued a strict ultimatum due to the one and a half months of delay, on August 17 the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Lithuania also spoke out. Its letter revealed a complete retreat by “KN Energies”: the company officially informed the ministry that in the future, in a similar situation, “security guards themselves will not demand photo deletion but will call the police officers.”
A. Jurkštas calls this company excuse another legal idiocy: “This is a direct admission that on June 6 their private security had no legal right to terrorize a foreign citizen on a public street and delete data from his phone. However, the promise to call the police in the future opens an even greater absurdity. And what will the officers do when they arrive? What rights does the police have in the Republic of Lithuania to force a foreign tourist legally standing on a public street to delete cultural heritage photos? There is no legal basis for this. This shows that the mindset of strategic port companies still remains deeply rooted in the Soviet era, where fear and the demonstration of power structures are above citizens’ rights and freedoms.”
The fight moves to the legal level
Although port companies are trying to soften the tone, the lighthouse keeper promises to see the matter through to the end. Today, legal reminders have been sent to institutions. If detailed answers regarding the responsibility of specific security guards are not provided, complaints will be submitted to the Police Department, and the ministry’s delay in responding will be referred to the Parliamentary Ombudsman for evaluation of bureaucratic behavior.
“Lighthouses must illuminate and unite the community, not be torn apart and locked behind impenetrable bureaucratic fences. This case has proven that publicity works. We will achieve that the historic symbol of Klaipėda is returned to the people,” summarizes the director of the NGO “Aido švyturiai.”
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