| Abstract [eng] |
Lithuania is one of the countries that suffers great depopulation. The last decades depopulation tendency is especially evident in Central and Eastern European region. Depopulation is a significant challenge for non-metropolitan cities and their residents, and for decision makers. This article introduces urban shrinkage in Lithuania using a case study of the fourth biggest city and regional centre in Lithuania – Šiauliai city. This chapter is based on the same logic (drivers, consequences and governance) that is presented in the ‘heuristic model of urban shrinkage’ introduced by a group of German, UK, Poland and other countries’ scholars (Haase et al., 2014). The drivers of shrinkage of Šiauliai city fall into three main groups: political, economic and demographic. Even though the urban shrinkage of the peripheral city of Šiauliai is not an exception and it is a well-recognized fact that deindustrialization damaged most European cities, in our case, the pace and circumstances were extreme and so widespread, that only large out-migration could have solved the direct consequences of them. This, however, has caused other long-term problems such as a negative demographic structure, shrinking public service networks, brownfields, and created a negative image, low development potential, and low expectations for a prosperous future. National and Local governments are looking for ways to deal with shrinkage, but so far not very successfully. This article includes quantitative and qualitative analyses: statistics introducing the drivers and consequences of shrinkage, and qualitative information collected via analysing legal documents (strategies, plans, research papers) that the municipality of Šiauliai city presents in its official municipality data base. The analysis of the documents allows making assumptions that the local government clearly understands the current depopulation situation. However, even though the schools, faculties of university, youth institutions are being closed, and aging population compose majority of voters, the local government does not leave the idea to become the city comfortable for young families (Šiauliai city strategic… 2016). In order to accomplish this idea the local government is looking for the ways to attract investment and create working places for young specialists, the public infrastructure is being renovated, green areas redesigned, public transportation network developed. However, despite all those efforts, if the emigration will keep similar trends and immigration will remain low, the city will face the further shrinkage. |
