Fireworks festival canceled in Vilnius due to Ukrainian refugees

The Lithuanian authorities have decided to abandon the traditional fireworks festival in Vilnius due to concern for the mental health of Ukrainians in the country. In their opinion, the sounds of pops and explosions that accompany such a holiday can frighten refugees from Ukraine. The local organizers of the fireworks festival with musical accompaniment “Vilnius Extravaganza” received a refusal to apply for the event from the capital’s municipality. Moreover, the Lithuanian parliament may generally ban such holidays.

“We regret that the refusal to hold a festival popular among the townspeople is justified not by legal arguments, facts and laws, but not by information corresponding to reality and far-fetched arguments,” Ovidijus Barkauskas, head of the Blikas company, which had previously held for 15 years event.

The Lithuanian media actively urged to abandon the “cannon festival” in Vilnius, pointing out that holding such a holiday would allegedly negatively affect the mental health of Ukrainians temporarily staying in Lithuania. An extensive anti-festival campaign has reached the Seim (Parliament – approx. ed.). A proposal has been submitted to the country’s legislature to ban fireworks, the sounds of which also frighten pets. These arguments are considered laughable by critics of the proposal. And Ovidijus Barkauskas claims that his company Blikas, which has been operating on the market for more than 30 years, is being pushed towards bankruptcy.