Vilnius Mayor Valdas Benkunskas said Monday he opposes construction of a new mosque in the Lithuanian capital, arguing that migration policy should focus on tighter controls rather than expanding religious infrastructure.
“I am against the construction of a new mosque in Vilnius. This is my position as the head of the city,” Benkunskas said in a statement released by his office.
“Freedom of religion in Lithuania and Vilnius has always existed and will continue to do so. There are already mosques in Lithuania and around Vilnius,” he added. “I believe the priority in migration policy should be solving real problems and tightening control, not building new facilities.”
There are currently no mosques in Vilnius, the city’s Muslim residents pray in community centres. Two mosques operate in villages near the capital city, Keturiasdešimt Totorių and Nemėžis, and two more in Kaunas and Raižiai in the District of Alytus.
The last mosque in Vilnius was closed down in the 1960s, the Muslim community’s attempts to build one has so far been unsuccessful.
Mayor Benkuskas’ comments followed criticism from Aleksandras Beganskas, chairman of the Muftiate board, who expressed frustration over the mayor’s opposition and said a new mosque would help recent migrants to integrate better.
Benkunskas, meanwhile, argued that most Muslims in Lithuania are temporary migrant workers rather than permanent residents and therefore building a mosque for them would be impractical.
“Annual data from the Migration Department shows that thousands of foreigners from Islamic countries live here only on temporary permits, while only hundreds seek permanent residency,” Benkunskas said. “It wouldn’t make any sense to build a mosque for temporary residents of Vilnius, would it?”
He also called for tighter migration rules, arguing that current regulations do not sufficiently encourage integration.
“An employer’s guarantee is sufficient to extend a temporary residence permit,” he said. “There are no real incentives to learn the state language, integrate into city life or seek permanent residency.”
Benkunskas urged the Interior Ministry to strengthen requirements, including language learning for those staying longer in the country.
According to the 2021 census, around 600 permanent residents identified as Sunni Muslims in Vilnius and over 2,000 in the entire country.
Discussions on building a mosque in Vilnius have continued for more than three decades, with various sites considered, but no final decisions have been made and no construction permits have been issued.
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