Resident of Klaipėda Artūras recorded a video in which the song “Kalinka” can be heard loudly playing while the carousels are spinning. According to him, this situation has been repeating for several years.
“What do you think about this? For several years in a row, this music has been playing for Klaipėda residents and guests from all over Lithuania near the “Švyturys” arena. What do the city leaders think about this?” – the man complained on social networks.
The news portal VE.lt contacted the amusement park administration to find out whether the Russian music was played intentionally or if it was a misunderstanding.
A staff member who answered the phone said she knew nothing about such a situation and suggested that the melody might have been Czech or Ukrainian. However, the video clearly features the Russian folk song “Kalinka,” which became especially popular in the former Soviet Union during World War II and eventually became one of the most recognizable symbols of Russian culture.
“We will pay attention to the music repertoire. We will ensure that this does not happen in the future,” said the park representative.
The park was established by Lithuanian businessman Rolandas Minkinas and Czech Ladislav Novy.
There is no basis for punishment
Meanwhile, the Klaipėda municipality states that it has not received any official complaints from residents about Russian music being played in the amusement park.
Head of the Public Order Department Albinas Misevičius emphasized that the language of the song’s lyrics or its origin alone is not a basis for administrative liability.
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“The mere playing of Russian music or works in the Russian language is not considered a violation of the law by itself, so administrative measures could not be applied solely because of the language or origin of the music. In each case, the specific content of the work, the circumstances of its playing, and possible violations of other legal requirements would be assessed,” commented A. Misevičius.
According to him, if reports were received that the music was played too loudly or disturbed residents’ peace, it would be evaluated whether noise prevention and public order requirements were violated. If violations were found, administrative offense proceedings could be initiated.
If war propaganda, incitement of hatred, use of prohibited symbols, or other possibly illegal content were identified, the information would be forwarded to the police.
Recommended to refrain from Russian music
The Public Order Department also indicated that it has no data on other violations found in this amusement park.
Nevertheless, the municipality acknowledges that legal options in this case are limited, so the amusement park manager was advised to use common sense and, to avoid negative public reaction, not to play Russian music publicly.
“To avoid negative public reaction, the amusement park director was recommended to refrain from publicly playing music in the Russian language,” emphasized A. Misevičius.
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