
Lithuania
Remigijus Šimašius
Vilnius
Vilnius
Coat of arms

Area
City: 401 km2
Population
City: 549,389
Postal zone
01001-14191
Area code(s)
+370 5
Government
Type: City council
Mayor: Remigijus Šimašius
Website
- EN

Remigijus Šimašius
Biography
Vilnius is the capital and largest city of Lithuania. It offers a rich cultural experience to numerous tourists who are drawn to the city every year. Led by mayor Remigijus Šimašius, who has been leading the city since 2015, the city has achieved numerous progress in the recent past which have drastically improved the attractiveness and the residents’ quality of life.
Šimašius earned a law degree from Vilnius University, Faculty of Law in 1997. He received his PhD in 2002 after successfully defending his doctoral dissertation in social sciences in Vilnius Law School.
Remigijus Šimašius assumed the mayoral office in April 2015 and has, since then, been working very hard to improve the living conditions of Vilnius residents. Topics such as urban development and urban greening are some of mayor Šimašius’ key priorities. At the same time, he is working really hard to ensure Vilnius is an open, transparent and cosmopolitan place where residents can actively help in shaping the city.
The city of Vilnius continues to grow and is one of the fastest growing capitals in this region, with 10,000 new residents declaring their residence in the capital in the year 2020. Under the leadership of mayor Šimašius, the city’s booming start-up scene has earned a really good reputation. The city keeps growing in this regard and has truly established the reputation as one of tech capitals in this part of Europe. According to fDi Intelligence research, European cities received the most tech start-up FDI relative to their population between 2016 and 2018, with Vilnius coming on the top of the list. Vilnius shows no signs of slowing down. Its thriving start-up ecosystem continues to develop and grow, attracting new talent. At the same time, the city is encouraging the establishment of innovation hubs and accelerators.
Mayor Šimašius always makes sure that the Vilnius residents have a say when it comes to some of the most important issues in the city. The project "Kuriu Vilni" (English: "I am Creating Vilnius") contest for decorating city spaces in a modern way is regularly held in this Baltic city. It allows artists and creatives to win up to EUR 70,000 for offering an idea and implementing it in any area of the capital. The contest improved the appearance of the city by infusing it with new energy, particularly in neighbourhoods further from the city centre.
Thanks to mayor of Vilnius, the charming Lithuanian capital seems to be realising its full potential and has now established itself as one of the most up-and-coming European destinations. (photo credit: Vilnius official website)
- en