The city of Klaipėda remained first in the municipalities’ ranking with the score of 67.3 points out of the total possible 100 (down from 69.4 points in 2012), the Lithuanian Free Market Institute (LLRI) said on Wednesday in a report on its Municipalities’ Index 2013.
The municipality of Vilnius remained second with the score of 62.8 points and the municipality of Panevėžys was third with 59.7 points.
The city of Kaunas was fourth with 56.9 points and Šiauliai was fifth with 52.9 points.
“Favorable environment for investments was one of the main reasons, which made the city of Klaipeda the first. Investments are an important source of growth in productivity and wages. Statistical data shows that the municipalities with more investments have lower jobless rates. People earn more there and are less dependent on social allowances,” LLRI president Žilvinas Šilėnas said at a news conference on Wednesday.
The municipalities’ index was launched in 2011. The local authorities are assessed by the level of the freedom of choice they ensure for people, promotion of private initiatives, provision of favorable business environment, efficient use of resources and measures to ensure the transparency of their activities.
