Gedmante Eimontiene, the government representative for the Vilnius and Alytus districts, announced that if the Vilnius district local government council does not decide on the change within a month, the case “will be referred to court.”
“The final decision on changing the street names will be made by the local government council, but the voice of the residents is also important,” said Robert Duchniewicz, mayor of the Vilnius region, in a statement. He admitted that “the opinions of residents are divided, some are guided by moral considerations, others have practical concerns” regarding the formal change of the street's name.
The consultations will last until April 15. Adults living in the current streets of Cardinal Gulbinowicza, which are located in the town of Niemenczyn and the commune of Bujwidze, can take part in them. There are two ways to vote: electronically via the Vilnius district application “Vilniaus rajonas Arti” or in person at municipal offices.
Final decision in a few weeks
The local government council has already announced that on March 27 it will consider draft resolutions regarding new street names. In Niemeczyn, it was proposed to change the street to Jan Gabriel Mincewicz Street, a teacher, social activist, distinguished activist for Polish culture in Lithuania, MP and deputy mayor of the Vilnius district, who died 10 years ago. In the Bujwidze commune – on Bujwidzka Street.
The final decision will be made in April, after the survey results are announced. In case of changes, the new names would take effect within 20 business days.
Controversy around Henryk Gulbinowicz
Cardinal Henryk Gulbinowicz, a long-time metropolitan of Wrocław, comes from the Vilnius region, near Bujwidz. Many residents of this commune knew him personally, others remember the cardinal when he visited his hometown. In 2015, the Vilnius region gave the priest the title of honorary citizen of the Vilnius region, and streets were also named after him.
The majority in the Council is held by the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania – Union of Christian Families (AWPL-ZChR), which opposes these changes. AWPL-ZChR councilor Maria Rekść, a long-time mayor of the region in previous terms, emphasized that the allegations against the cardinal had not been officially proven. She also appealed not to use the term pedophile unless it has been officially confirmed.
Shortly before Cardinal's death Gulbinowicz in November 2020. The Holy See imposed disciplinary sanctions on him for cases of sexual abuse of minors, concealing pedophilia crimes among clergy and 16 years of cooperation with the security service of the Polish People's Republic.
