Felling of hundred-year-old oak sparks outrage in Vilnius

Real estate development company UAB Rinktinės NT has caused public outrage and attracted criticism from politicians for cutting down a hundred-year-old oak tree in Vilnius city centre.

Vilnius City Mayor Valdas Benkunskas told reporters Monday that the company Rinktinės NT, which owns the land plot, might be subject to criminal liability for having the tree cut down on 20 May. The mayor said the company might have violated three articles of the Criminal Code but prosecutors may establish more transgressions. According to him, the violations may include causing damage to the environment, exercising self-willed conduct and violating construction regulations.

According to the mayor, the company’s claims that the three was cut down because its roots allegedly caused damage to the rainwater collection network were unconvincing. He says the tree grew 3 metres away from rainwater collection pipelines and the latter could have been diverted instead of felling the tree.