Artūras Zuokas

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Artūras Zuokas (born 21 February 1968 in Kaunas) is a Lithuanian politician. He is a leader of political party Union 'TAIP' and is the Mayor of Vilnius.

From 2008–2009 he was a member of the Seimas (Lithuanian Parliament), from 2000–2007 he was the Mayor of Vilnius.

Zuokas graduated from the secondary school of Jonava. In his youth Zuokas worked as an independent reporter to Independent Television News Ltd.: a war reporter in Iraq (First Gulf War, during which he taped the bombing of the Baghdad TV Tower, a footage that was shown all over the world), Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Ossetia. In August 1991 he brought a recently captured footage from the site of the Medininkai Massacre to the official meeting of the United States President George Bush and Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev in Moscow, which caused much concern from the American side about the use of force against freedom-seeking nations.^[1]

Election as Mayor, 2000

Zuokas was one of the campaign managers for Liberal Union of Lithuania in the 2000 Seimas elections. His party placed second and won 36 seats. It formed an alliance with the New Union (Socialliberals) and Rolandas Paksas, the leader of the Liberal Union and Vilnius city municipality mayor, became the Prime Minister. There were two candidates to fill in the vacant mayor post: vice-mayor Algirdas Kudzys, and Zuokas, both members of the Liberal Union. On 15 November 2000, the council voted 27–18 to make Zuokas, at age 32, the youngest mayor in the history of Vilnius.^{[citation needed]}

Election as Mayor, 2011

In 2010, March, Zuokas expressed willingness to become mayor of Kaunas, the second largest city of Lithuania, but only if Lithuania would introduce direct elections.^{[citation needed]}

Before the municipal election 2011 famous English actor Jeremy Irons in a short video about his experience in Vilnius expressed his support for Arturas Zuokas and invited people to vote for him.^[2]

After a successful 2011 municipal election campaign in February, Zuokas became Mayor of Vilnius again, as his party won the most votes and gained 12 seats in the 51-seat Vilnius city council.

Mayoral projects

Vilnius City Municipality building

A number of projects championed by Zuokas have since been completed or started:

• The largest furniture retail complex in the Baltic states IKEA will be opened in Vilnius in 2013^[3].
• In January 2012, Vilnius introduced first trolleybuses that were assembled in the city^[4].
• In December 2011, Vilnius city municipality unveiled a new internet portal vilnius.lt with e-democracy tools available.
• In summer 2011, Vilnius first in Europe launched the electric bike “Rent and Share” system – E-orange^[5].
• Vilnius also was the first in Europe to launch touch-sensitive digital maps at bus stops^[6].
• In 2011, Vilnius city introduced four eco buses that go around the Vilnius Old Town^[7].
• Arturas Zuokas came up with the idea of buying a Greek island. Mayor suggested that businesses and corporations could raise the money for an island which would be registered as belonging to the Lithuanian government. Island would host tourism bureau, spa, museums and theatre. It would serve both as a Mediterranean resort for Lithuanians and a great global advert for Lithuania.^[8][9]

• The Mindaugas Bridge over the Neris River was completed for the 750th anniversary of Mindaugas coronation in 2003. It was contemplated as part of effort to reconstruct Žalgiris Stadium, Žalgiris swimming pool, and Vilnius Concert and Sport Palace in Žirmūnai. The projects are in progress.
• The reconstruction of Gediminas Avenue was completed.
• An underground parking lot under the Municipality Square has been opened.
• A two-level crossing was built to ease traffic jams for Pilaitė residents.
• A new municipal building was opened on the right bank of the Neris River. Zuokas revitalized and supported Rolandas Paksas' idea to build a new commercial center in Šnipiškės. The municipal building has been joined by the new Europa Tower and shopping center. Construction was funded by selling old administrative buildings scattered around the city.^{[citation needed]}
• Construction of the Constitution Avenue is complete.
• Užupis and Malūnai Streets in Užupis district were reconstructed and water supply pipes were replaced.

Europa Business Center

Awards and Honors

Zuokas is the recipient of numerous international and national awards and honors. He was decorated by President Jacques Chirac of France in 2001 with the National Order of Merit and President Vaira Vike-Freiberga of Latvia for his contribution to the betterment of bi-lateral relations.

He was twice elected Vice-President of the Organization of World Heritage Cities. The Junior Chamber International recognized Zuokas for his administrative achievements by naming him one of the "Ten Outstanding Young Persons in the World" in 2002. The U.S. Baltic Foundation honored his achievements in 2003 and the Balzekas Museum in Chicago, Illinois named him "Man of the Year". Local awards have included "Friend of Architects". He is a three-time recipient of the popular Vilnius "Iron Wolf" award.

Zuokas was bestowed an honorary degree from the Gediminas Technical University in 2003.^[10]

In August 2011 Zuokas raised attention to illegal parking in bike lanes by staging the destruction of a car by a BTR-60 armoured personnel carrier in a Vilnius' bike lane running along the Gediminas Avenue.^[11] The stunt was performed in cooperation with a bucket-list show aired on Swedish TV6, the hosts Erik Ekstrand and Mackan Edlund sitting in the back of the vehicle.^[12] Later that year he was awarded an Ig Nobel Peace Prize for "demonstrating that the problem of illegally parked luxury cars can be solved by running over them with a tank".^[13][14]

References

• Delfi.lt news archives (Lithuanian)

External links

• Blog of Artūras Zuokas (Lithuanian)