Vilnius District Mayor Robert Duchnevič met with Turkish Ambassador to Lithuania Görkem Barış Tantekin on February 25 to discuss opportunities for economic, cultural and educational cooperation. Representatives of the Vilnius District Municipality Administration also attended the meeting.
“We are glad to finally be able to meet and share ideas,” said R. Duchnevič. According to the mayor, such meetings open up windows of opportunity and it is important to use them properly.
B. Tantekin noted that Lithuania and Türkiye have many common points of contact, and the newly established Lithuanian-Turkish Chamber of Commerce can become a platform for building business bridges. “We have potential for cooperation in various areas – from business to culture,” the ambassador emphasized.
Investment and business development opportunities were discussed at the meeting, including the interest of Turkish companies in the Lithuanian transport and defense sectors.
“The Turkish defense industry is growing rapidly, and our companies are looking for opportunities to expand their investments in Lithuania,” the ambassador said.
The Vilnius District Municipality’s intentions to establish a high-tech park and attract foreign investors, including Turkish business representatives, were also discussed. According to Gediminas Miškinis, Chief Advisor to the Vilnius District Municipality Administration, the municipality aims to develop a free economic zone (FEZ) by 2032 and attract manufacturing and other companies.
Municipal partnerships and cultural cooperation were also discussed. The ambassador expressed the idea of offering Turkish language lessons in schools, taking into account the Tatar community living in the Vilnius District. Opportunities for cooperation in the areas of social welfare, green transport initiatives, and sports were also discussed.
Vida Montvydaitė, Chief Advisor to the Vilnius District Municipality Administration, expressed interest in the experience of Turkish municipalities related to social welfare for the elderly and private sector initiatives to improve the quality of life in the community.
“It is important for us to learn how private initiatives can help older people live longer in their homes, how to attract young people to work in the social sector,” she said.
The ambassador noted that Turkish companies are not limited to the market of one country, but are considering broader regional projects.
“Lithuania can become a bridge between Central and Northern Europe and Türkiye and wider markets,” said G. B. Tantekin.
He also mentioned that Türkiye is one of the world leaders in the production of electric buses and could offer competitive solutions to Lithuanian cities.
The possibility of organizing visits to Türkiye was also discussed, during which Lithuanian representatives could get to know the Turkish transport, defense and business sectors more closely.
Both sides agreed to continue to seek specific ways of cooperation and to involve business and academic communities in future initiatives. It is planned to continue the dialogue with potential Turkish municipalities and business partners, aiming for long-term and sustainable cooperation.
