GENERAL INFORMATION

Taurage County covers the southern part of the ethnographic region of Zemaitija. Total county area is 4411,5 sq. km, 96 sq. km of which are towns and villages, 75 sq. km –industrial enterprises and roads, 2480 sq. km –agricultural areas, 1289 sq. km –forests, 103 sq. km –water, 368 sq. km – other areas.

The county includes the territories of  Taurage, Silale, Jurbarkas districts and Pagegiai regions municipality. Taurage is the administrative center of the county. According to the population the county is the smallest in the country, and according to the size of the area it is next-to-last before Telsiai. According to the population census taken in 2001 the population of the county was 134 273. The density is 30,4 citizens  per1 sq. km; 47,6% of them are men, 52,4% - women. Taurage district is an agricultural land. Forests occupy about one third of the territory. As for production and export, dressmaking, food and drink, woodwork and timber processing are the most important branches of industry. In 1998 Taurage County has been accepted to the Assembly of the European Regions. The county is the member  of the Euro-region “Saule” since 1999.

Geographical position of the district is excellent: the territory is crossed by the railway Radviliskis – Siauliai – Sovetsk (Russian Federation), there is also a good communication with Latvia – only 230 km to its capital Riga and 180 km to Kaliningrad. The highway Vilnius – Klaipeda goes beside the northern periphery of the county; the Nemunas, suitable for river navigation, flows beside the southern periphery; motorway Saint-Petersburg – Siauliai – Taurage – Kaliningrad goes to the north – southwest direction, crossing the center of the county – Taurage. It is important not only as a means of communication, but it also has a historical meaning as the “Hanza” merchant route.

The county is famous for the historical sights; it is rich with archeological findings. These are Batakiai, Pagramantis mounds in the Taurage region and Medvegalis, Padievytis mounds in Silale region. The most significant cultural monuments are in Jurbarkas region: the ensemble of Raudone castle, included into the programme of cultural development, and the Veliuona church. Writer D. Poska’s “Baubliai” can be found in Silale region- they are mentioned as the first museum in Lithuania. Sereiklaukis and Bubliskes manor houses with parks are in Pagegiai Municipality. There is a memorial museum of the outstanding Lithuanian sculptor V. Grybas in Jurbarkas.  Vytogala village (Silale region) is the place of birth of the pilot S.Girenas and there is his museum there too.

HISTORY

While disestablishing partial and regional duchies and forming voivode districts, counties started instituting in the Great Duchy of Lithuania. According to the analogical Polish administrative unit “pawiat”, voivode districts in the Great Duchy of Lithuania were called “povietai”.

The administrative division into “uezdy” introduced by Russian Empire remained unchanged until the occupation of Lithuania during the First World War, in the course of which Germans introduced division into “kreizai”.

Forming independent state of Lithuania, its administrative division was based on self-government. On the 17^th of December 1918, a circular note No 1 “About Municipalities in Lithuania” declared that the whole country was divided into counties.

Taurage was burned down during the First World War (1915), therefore, Skaudvile was the center of the county until 1919. According to the 1919 law VII 1 the whole Lithuanian country was divided into 20 counties and the centre of the county was relocated in Taurage. Taurage county existed until 1950, i.e. until the reform of the Soviet administrative governing in Lithuania.

According to the law I-558 passed on the 19^th of July 1994, Seimas of the Republic of Lithuanian started the reform of the administrative units in the territory of the Republic of Lithuania. Reinstated counties are the superior administrative unit of the Republic of Lithuania, the governing of which is organized by the Government through a County Governor, the Ministries and other State institutions.

 JURBARKAS DISTRICT

Jurbarkas district, occupying the area of 150,8 thousand hectares, is situated on the rightward bank of the river Nemunas. According to the population census taken in 2001 there were 37 786 citizens. There are 25,1 citizens for 1 sq. km. Jurbarkas is the centre located in the confluence of the rivers Nemunas, Mituva and Imsre. The region is divided into 11 neighbourhoods. Larger settlements are approximately 10 km apart from each other.

The name of Jurbarkas was first mentioned in the chronicle of Duisburg in 1259, when the crusaders built Georgenburg (Jurgenburg) castle there. In 1611 Jurbarkas received the rights of Magdeburg and the coat of arms– three white lilies on the red shield. The bellman of the national revival Vincas Kudirka wrote: “If one never went past the Nemunas from Kaunas to Jurbarkas in summer time, he hasn’t experienced much delight in his heart”. One can admire not only spectacular landscapes of Panemune regional-park, but also visit plenty of historical – architectural monuments. Gediminas grave hill, magnificent mound in Seredzius (mostly called Palemonas hill) and Renaissance style mediaeval castles, Raudone castle with a park and a central tower with a look out on the top, and Panemune (Vytenai or Gelgaudai) castle with cascade water around it, are magnetizing.

The cultural life of the region is intense. There are many artistic groups and a folk art club. Various events mark traditional Lithuanian holidays: Shrove Tuesday, Easter, Feast of St John and Christmas. Folk artists and local professional artists regularly hold exhibitions as well as international artist camps. Cultural tourism project “Panemuniu ziedai” is becoming more and more popular. Jurbarkas is famous for its theatrical traditions: K. Glinskis theatre has worked there for more than three decades.

The district is interested in investment, which would allow using the available potential (buildings, land, human resources and stock) in the processing of agricultural products, in construction and building-material industry and especially in tourism. Jurbarkas has one of the most modern stadiums in Lithuania, there is new sewage treatment plant, also Nemunas road tourism infrastructure development projects are prepared..

 SILALE  DISTRICT

The total area of Silale district is 118,8 thousand hectares. Agricultural area occupies 68,3 thousand hectares, forests – 29,5 thousand hectares, water – 3,0 thousand hectares. The population is 31 570. Overall majority is Lithuanians (99%). Centre of the district is Silale.

Silale is being mentioned in historical sources since the beginning of the XVI century, but the historical facts and archeological material show that it started in the XIV century. The highest hill of the Zemaitija (Samogitian) height, Medvegalis, is in the Silale region. There   are many historical and cultural monuments in this area. Tourists are interested in the first Lithuanian museum – D.Poska “Baubliai”. The national hero – S. Girenas, who flew over the Atlantic Ocean together with S. Darius in 1933 – comes from this part of the country.

Silale  districtis one of the few Lithuanian districts where life is solely concentrated on agriculture. All other business ventures are related to the main purpose – expedient farming. Agricultural development is positively influenced by good motorways, which make a good communication with other towns and villages of Lithuania. It could serve the development of the  cognitive tourism, as well as  rural tourism.

 TAURAGE  DISTRICT

Taurage  district covers the area of 118 thousand hectares. It’s population is 52711.

The name of Taurage is made up of two words having the meaning of  “aurochs” and “horn”. It reminds people of the times when huge   aurochs lived in the forests of the land. Craftsmen, who used  aurochs’ horns as material, made horns (a musical instrument), armour, glasses for mead and other utensils. As the history unfolded, Taurage happened to appear in the crossing of different ethnical, religious and political worlds. This land was either a wall separating those worlds, or the bridge connecting them.

Taurage was first mentioned in historical sources back in 1507. Bishop M.Valancius writes that in those times a wooden catholic church was built in Taurage. Nevertheless, the foundation of the town dates back even to earlier times – the XIII – XIV centuries, when important crusaders’ roads to Lithuania went past Taurage area.

After laying a new road through Taurage in 1836 – 1844, the town started to grow rapidly. It was influenced by a convenient geographical position and the status of a frontier settlement, which predetermined an active economic   and  commercial life of the town. The main occupation of the natives was trade. Taurage had a customs - house, through which agricultural products were transported from Lithuania to Prussia, and different goods were transported to Lithuania, too.

Today Taurage is not only the center of the district, but also the center of the county, the most important town in the region from the industrial, commercial, educational and cultural point of view. In the autumn of 2002 Kaunas Technological University branch was established in Taurage by the initiative of the member of LR Seimas Vaclovas Karbauskis, Taurage County Governor Dr. Arunas Beisys and the sponsors of the idea – county municipalities’ leaders and businessmen organizations. Starting from 2003 Kaunas College Taurage Branch, on the base of which independent Taurage College will be established in 2004, starts the student admission process. Higher education will become the motive power while increasing the industrial, economic and social potential of the county, and will raise the level of the intellectual and administrative abilities.

PAGEGIAI MUNICIPALITY

Located in the Pajuris lowland near the river Nemunas, Pagegiai municipality occupies the area of 53,7 thousand hectares. It is a part of Taurage County and it is the youngest municipality of the county, as it was established on the 21^st of December 1999. According to the population census taken in 2001 there were 12 244 citizens. Pagegiai municipality is divided into five neighborhoods, integrating 110 villages.

Three thousand people live in the centre of the municipality, Pagegiai. The settlement was mentioned in historical sources as early as in 1281. Since the beginning of the XV century it has been a part of Klaipeda region. The railway was laid through Pagegiai in 1875. Pagegiai started prospering after joining the region of Klaipeda to the rest part of Lithuania (1923). In 1926 a pro-gymnasium was established there, then a gymnasium in 1929, and in 1930, according to the project of A. Brakas, by the initiative of the President A. Smetona, the most beautiful and spacious gymnasium house in Lithuania was built. Since old times Pagegiai has been famous for horse breeding. In 1732 the King of Prussia established the well-known Trakenai stud farm. Today joint- stock company of a special purpose “Nemuno zirgynas” has 350 thoroughbred horses. Agricultural and service facility sectors are dominant in Pagegiai. Two modern companies having EU veterinary certificates successfully work there: JSC “Vilkyskiu pienine” and JSC “Vilke”.

Pagegiai municipality has a border with Kaliningrad region (Russian Federation), and the famous “Karaliene Luiza” bridge connects Panemune town with Sovetsk (Tilze). With the help of EU investment the frontier facilities are being developed and a new customs house is being built. European Via – Hanza highway goes through the territory of Pagegiai. The land is adorned by the nature and cultural heritage. There is a well-known Rambynas hill, historical Sereiklaukis manor with a park there; there is also a Bubliskes Manor Park full of rare trees in Pagegiai. The historical Nemunas delta surrounding the whole southern territory of Pagegiai starts there. The lowland is engraved with washes and spread deep lakes. The bigger ones are Marguva, Bitezeris and Velnezeris.

Pagegiai land is famous for its yearly floods. Tourists have been offered to take the route “Potvynio kelias” since 2003.

The main purpose of the newly established Pagegiai municipality is creating an optimal industrial and agricultural system following modern standards.

 FOREIGN RELATIONS, INVESTMENT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

 Cooperation of different regions and local municipalities gives an opportunity to develop the capability of the region and to support the efforts of the partners from  CIS/CEE and EU to commonly solve regional problems and to encourage friendly neighbouring communication.

Taurage county and Konin  Voivodship of the Republic of Poland signed the first inter-regional cooperation agreement on the 23^rd of October 1997. Taurage county together with Siauliai county, three  districtsof the Kaliningrad region (Sovetsk, Neman and Slavsk), Jelgava region (Latvia) and Skane county (Sweden) established Euro-region “Saule” on the 2^nd of July 1999. From the historical point of view counties and regions that were mentioned here are joined by Hanza way, which has old traditions. Taurage region was accepted as a true member of Assembly of the European Regions (AER) in 1998.

Economical connections with the eastern neighbours are important to the businesspeople of the county: on the 23^rd of September 1999, Taurage county signed the cooperation agreement with Vologda region Velykij Ustiug district (Russian Federation), and on the 22^nd of December 1999 – with the closest neighbour – Kaliningrad region. Since the year 2000, the county actively participates in the cooperation work of the bilateral  Council of Lithuania and Kaliningrad region.

Regional development is the most important of all administrative activities of the County Governor. In 2003, the administration of Taurage county prepared a new development plan for Taurage region for 2004 – 2006, which meets the requirements of the Lithuanian  Single Programming Document. This plan endeavours to reconstruct the economical system of the county and to assure a harmonious social and economic development in the context of the integration of the country in EU.

Regional waste  management system, which meets the requirements of EU, is 70% financed by EU ISPA programme, and is being established in the county. The Administration of the County Governor successfully implements PHARE 2000 Economical and Social Cohesion Programme. At the moment 32 projects are being implemented in the region. They have received 6 million LTL. subsidies from PHARE Programme.

Agriculturalists and businesspeople of the county efficiently use the support of EU SAPARD: they have applied with 61 projects for 62 million LTL.

Material investments grow annually in the county: in 2002 they made approximately 100 million LTL. Direct foreign investment fluctuates very slightly. Annually it forms about 20 million LTL.

It is expected that implementing the project financed by PHARE 2000 ESC  Identification and Promotion of Investment Sites in Klaipeda – Taurage Region”  55 new selected and estimated sites suitable for purposive investments (“Greenfield” and “Brownfield”) will improve the investment climate in the region and the number of  foreign direct investments will increase.

Investors are expected in the following sectors of the region: timber and furniture, textile, food and beverages, tourism, trade, building and country tourism.  

EU SUPPORT: PRESENT AND FUTURE PROSPECTS

 The integration of the Republic of Lithuania into EU in 2004 will open the door to new business development prospects in Taurage county as well. The support of the EU funds will allow improving the facilities of the region and will give specific support to agricultural, industrial and other sectors. 

The county has been actively preparing for the integration into EU economic and cultural space during the recent years. In 1998 it became a member of the Assembly of the European Regions; it participates in the activities of the Euro-region “Saule”; since 1999 it has been  identified as PHARE 2000 Economic – Social Cohesion (ESC) Programme as a  target region; it takes part in SAPARD and ISPA programmes, too.

The support of the PHARE 2000 ESC Programmes is rendered to 3  target regions: Klaipeda – Taurage, Marijampole and Utena. The aim of the Programme is to encourage the development of the country and the regions sustaining economic and social cohesion; the specific purpose is to stimulate the development of  entrepreneurship and the  enhancement of human resources through Business Development Fund and Human Resources Development Fund giving support for the encouragement of business development in the target regions.

Enterprises and organizations of the county signed contracts to receive the sum of 4,5 million LTL. (1,3 million EUR) subsidies in Business Development Fund and Human Resources Development Fund. Taurage, Jurbarkas and Silale businesspeople were especially active in participating. The gained experience together with new ideas and projects will be helpful in the future, when Lithuania joins EU and starts applying for EU structural funds support. 

Other 1,5 million LTL subsidies are received after the centralized  implementation of PHARE 2000 ESC Programme  measures, i. e. – establishing Women’s  Employment Centres, implementing Distance Learning System, instituting Investment Sites and executing analysis of Labour Market.

According to the project of ISPA waste  mangement system the county receives approximately 17 million LTL subsidies. Until 2003 17 million LTL subsidies have been already received from SAPARD Programme. This financial support will undoubtedly raise the social and economic level of the county and will increase business ventures both in towns and in villages.

Seeking to receive the support of PHARE 2000 ESC Programme applications were to be submitted according to separate supported measures. Taurage county business companies, service providers and public offices applied to receive the support of Business Fund according to thosemeasures: “Creation of new business start-ups and promotion of entrepreneurship”, and “Promoting competitiveness of existing business enterprises” . According to the first measure, 10 applications were received in Taurage county. 5 of them, i.e. 50% were successful. L. Dragunaviciene Individual Enterprise (Jurbarkas), N. Gorodeckaja IE (Pagegiai), JSC “Taunorva” (Taurage), JSC “Zumpe ir Ko” (Taurage) and Public Institution Taurage Business Information Centre.

According to the second  measure,22 applications were received in Taurage county.  Evaluation Committee positively evaluated 14 of them, i.e. 63%; contracts were signed with those authors of the projects as well.

Business Development Fund  granted 12084800 LTL (3500000 EUR) to Klaipeda- Taurage  target region. According to the first and the second means, Taurage county received a 2 456 340 LTL (711 982,67 EUR) subsidy (which is 20,3% of total sum for the joint region amount).

According to the  measure of Human Resources Development Fund “Elaboration of training programmes, delivery of training, provision of advise services for employers, employees and unemployed”, Taurage county received 17 applications. 7 projects, i.e. 41%, were positively evaluated; contracts were signed with the authors. Total sum of the subsidies given to Taurage county from this fund is 927 025 LTL (268 485 EUR), i.e. 31,58% of the whole 2 million 935 thousand LTL sum of the joint target region amount.

 Another one  measure of Business Development Fund in PHARE 2000 ESC Programme is Tourism Development, the aim of which is encouraging economic development in the tourism sector. An exceptional attention is being paid to implementing tourism facilities, as today it does not quite meet the needs of the region.

There were 5 projects in Taurage County submitted by the municipalities of the county. 3 projects were  awarded by grant and contracts were signed. Total sum of subsidies granted for Tourism Development in Taurage County makes 1 million 126 thousand LTL (326 075 EUR), i.e. 42,9% of the sum of the joint region tender.

Tourism activities should considerably intensify and tourist  flows should increase after implementation of the projects. Information signs and  billboards will be  installed  along the tourist routes. As it is planned in the projects, after forming concrete tourist routes it will be much easier to control individual as well as organized tourists who will obviously choose the provided and ready tourist routes. This will reduce “wild” tourism, i.e. holidaymakers who travel to preserved areas, foul and desolate nature, ignoring prohibitions and warnings.

All in all 28 projects, either wholly, or partially financed by PHARE 2000 ESC Programme, have started to be pursued in 2002 – 2003 in Taurage county. Total sum of the subsidies  granted to the projects in Taurage county  amounts 4 495 130 LTL.

European Union exercises politics the aim of which is reducing the differences between the economic and social development in EU countries. Taurage county being chosen as a  target region while implementing PHARE 2000 Programme, participation in ISPA, SAPARD and TINA programmes, raising foreign investments by the means of preparing objects, building new companies and organizing facilities, makes a great influence on the further development of the county. A significant attention is given to the  enhancement of the human factor and to implementing information technologies so that the citizens of the county would learn to take care of themselves just like people in EU as well as in the rest of the world do.

One of the main prerequisites for improving the economic – and social situation after becoming a member of EU is getting the support from EU Sstructural funds. This support will be provided on the basis of  Single Programming Document ( SPD) prepared by Lithuania. The financial support provided on the basis of  SPD through Structural funds gives regions much wider financing opportunities than the present PHARE “Economic and Social Cohesion Programme”, ISPA and SAPARD – not only due to a much larger extent of support, but also due to much wider range of financed areas. The experience of the officials of the county, business subjects and non-governmental organizations implementing PHARE 2000 ESC, SAPARD and ISPA programmes significantly increased the county administrative and human resource abilities while administrating EU support. Therefore, Taurage county rendered many serious projects to Lithuanian  SPD for 2004 – 2006 according to all 12  SPD trends. The experience gained while participating in different EU programmes will be a great help in implementing new projects financed by EU   Structural funds and will raise economic, social and cultural level of the county.

PHARE 2000 ESC

Tourism infrastructure for the Jūra river waterway

Three municipalities of the Taurage county – Taurage, Silale and Pagegiai – are implementing the project financed by PHARE 2000 ESC Programme. The “Tourism infrastructure for the Jūra river waterway” is part of the main tourist route in Klaipeda – Taurage region, Nemunas way. Implementing the project will include forming a new 140 km water tourism route via the rivers Jura and Nemunas, and creating the necessary facilities: establishing of  4 equipment rental points, building of 12 new campsites, buying 10  one-person and 10 two-person kayaks, and 20 canoes. Besides, 4000 flyers about the new water route are published in Lithuanian, English and Russian. This project will largely contribute to the development of a neglected field in tourism – river tourism – in western Lithuania. The new route is expected to increase the tourist rush by 30-40% in Taurage and the surrounding regions. Probably the greater part of tourists will be Scandinavian, German, Polish, Latvian citizens and people from Kaliningrad as well as tourists taking Hanza way. The project will have a positive impact on the development of small and medium business (especially accommodation and dining services) in Taurage County. 

 Development of Taurage Business Information Centre

Taurage Business Information Centre implements the project financed by PHARE 2000 ESC “Development of Taurage Business Information Centre”, which is worth 39 001 EUR. The aim of the project is developing the activities of Business Information Centre. The primary assignments include preparing a long-term activity strategy for Taurage Business Information Centre, creating the business information data-basis of the purposive region and accomplishing the strategy of the effective information spread. While implementing the project, a branch in Pagegiai will be established for the development of the centre activities, which will lend services to the business community of this municipality. 

Establishment of info - network by modernization of existing cable TV network

One more concrete example of assimilating the EU support: Lithuanian – German JSC „Televizijos komunikacijos” is implementing a project financed by PHARE 2000 ESC, “” “Establishment of info - network by modernization of existing cable TV network”.

Encouraging the development of the information society JSC „Televizijos komunikacijos” will provide the citizens and economy subjects of the region with cheap and fast Internet connection. Modern equipment purchased while accomplishing the project – central station and software for its control – will enable to provide all Internet, e-mail, FTP, CHAT and WWW services. The customers will be provided with IP telephony, “Video on Demand” and other viable services.

Assimilation of development of the production of fibreglass products (recreational boats, boats – auto roof boats

Dinghy-producing JSC “Tauda” implements the project “ Assimilation of development of the production of fibreglass products (recreational boats, boats – auto roof boats”, financed by PHARE 2000 ESC. After finally accomplishing the project, modern ventilation, electricity, heating and fire-prevention systems, meeting all requirements, will be installed. Moreover, modern equipment necessary for production will be purchased. Expanding and developing the production new places of work will be provided and employees will be instructed.

Construction of Jurbarkas wharf – the Nemunas waterway infrastructure development

This is the largest project on tourism development in the Taurage county, the accomplisher of which is the administration of the administration of Jurbarkas municipality . It intends to start the construction of a stationary pier in Jurbarkas. The construction fits into the National Programme of Tourism Development, which includes a project of reconstruction and development of passenger water transport facilities in Kaunas, Taurage and Klaipeda counties. Forming Nemunas way facilities will encourage the development of inland water transport and passenger – tourist navigation, and will stimulate the development of country tourism in the Nemunas riverside regions. The total value of the project makes 1 322 110 LTL.

The tourism infrastructure development in Rambynas Regional Park

The project of the administration of Pagegiai municipality won the tender for financial support, which is now used in tourism infrastructure development in Rambynas regional-park. During the project implementation period 2 parking and information lots will be constructed near the most popular resorts, 1 riverside resort in the recreational zone and 2 short-term recreation resorts near Bitezeris. There are plans in the project to renovate 1 km length road and to install a 200 m bridge to enable tourists approach the natural monument “Raganu egles”, also to project a 6 km skiing track on the Vilkyskiai ridge. 6 information screens will be built in the park as well as 50 information-directive signs.  

 Increasing competitiveness of JSC “Taurana” and assimilation of the production of new products

A project is being accomplished in JSC “Taurana” with the help of which it is intended to increase the competitiveness of the company, to master new technologies, to investigate the market and to forecast the necessary measures of marketing. Improving the produced goods and adjusting new products, the company will have the equipment for projection and evolvent preparation installed, they will buy special fusing machines and a hydraulic press. The staff will be instructed on using the equipment. Diversified activities of the company and adjusted new technologies will enable the company to increase the volume of the production, to get more orders which will be more beneficial from the economic point of view. This will allow creating 12 additional working places. The productivity of the company will increase together with the sales and the profit.

BUSINESS, INDUSTRY AND AGRICULTURE

 The most industrialized part of the county is Taurage; other parts of the county are agrarian. About 10% of all employable citizens of the county work in industrial companies.

The most important parts of the industrial production are these: peat, industrial wood, furniture, meat and milk, bread and confectionery, dressmaking industry production, bricks for building and drains. The sale of the industrial production of the county as well as export has significantly grown during past years. In 2001 the industrial production was sold for 234 million LTL, and the export made 109 million LTL.

According to the activities of the companies the greatest number of firms in the county work in the field of retail trade, agriculture, healthcare, transport and wood production.

A big part of the companies of the region are involved into the processing of agricultural products. The most important of them are meat processing companies certified by EU: JSC “Vilke”, SC “Taurages maistas” which was known already in 1932 for exporting bacon to Great Britain and JSC “Rovisa”, a meat processing company, which was also the first butchery in Lithuania fully certified by EU. Cheese-producing JSC “Vilkyskiu pienine” is well known in the region. Light Industr y companies are working successfully too, especially JSC “Dangija” which produces outerwear for women and a Lithuanian – Danish  Joint-venture“Svytis” the production of which is of great demand. It is being exported to various foreign countries.

Other important industrial companies of the region are these: SC “Telga” producing printed circuit boards  for electrical industry; furniture-producing JSC “Alantas”, JSC “Baldsta”; SC “Taurages keramika” making ceramic bricks and drains, and other companies.

Business interests of the region are being represented by organizations, which unify enterprisers: Klaipeda Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Crafts,,  the Taurage County Entrepreneurs Association  , regional departments of Confederation of Lithuanian Industrialists and Employers. Business information centres are open in the districts.

Taurage county is the land of both intensive agriculture and stock raising. There are 248,3 thousand hectares of  agricultural land in the territory of the county, 196,8 thousand hectares of which are arable, and 48,5 thousand hectares are meadows and pastures. Approximately 18% citizens work in agricultural sphere; more than 5,5 thousand farms are registered. The most fertile land suitable for farming is in Jurbarkas region. Silale and part of the Taurage region together with Nemunas water meadows in the Pagegiai municipality are lands  of less favourable farming, therefore milk farms are being settled in those areas. Berries are to be reared there, and infertile land is going to be planted with forest.

Two large  pig-breeding complexes are successfully working in the area: SC “Dainiai” (Jurbarkasdistrict ) and SC “Vingininkai” (Silale district).

EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY

 There are 4 gymnasiums, 20 secondary schools (2 of them have adult teaching classes), 46  basic, 26 primary and 2  youth schools in Taurage County. There are 2 adult-teaching institutions, 1 special education centre and 13 kindergartens. One art school, two academies of music, three sports schools, a schoolchildren creativity centre and a continuation school are there to develop children and pupils self-expression.

There are two special boarding schools subordinate to the county for teaching disabled and handicapped  children, a foster home, two municipal foster homes and children’s rehabilitation centre – school.

Vocational training is given in Taurage  Vocational Education Centre, in Pajuris Agricultural School and in Smalininkai Higher School of Agriculture.

Kaunas Technology University branch was opened in September 2002, in Taurage: 90 students have been admitted to study the first course of Business Administration in the full-time studies department; 100 students have been admitted to extramural studies of Business Administration and Public Administration. Moreover, one can enter master studies of Public Administration there. Beginning from the year 2003, students of the county can choose higher non-university education of Business Management in Taurage Department of Kaunas College. The region has a new distance learning system – there is a Centre of Distance Learning in Taurage and five classes in the  districts.

New healthcare facilities are being formed while exercising healthcare politics in the county. The citizens receive ambulant medical care from  primary healthcare institutions of four municipalities: public institutions – healthcare centres, dispensaries, medical stations, general practice doctors’ offices and 4 hospices. Secondary level medical care is provided by three hospitals: Taurage, Silale and Jurbarkas municipal hospitals together with consultative clinics working beside them.

Specialized medical care is concentrated in the Hospital of Taurage County. Special services are being developed: laparoscopy, artroscopy and trauma surgery performed under control of modern X-ray equipment. Reanimation unit is well equipped, too.

Social services are provided by the Invalids and Social care center of Taurage county , Working Centre of Mentally Retarded Youths in Jurbarkas, Boarding-house of Adakavas, Foster Home for the Elderly in Seredzius (Jurbarkas region), Parish Foster Home in Kaltinenai and Kvedarna (Silale region), Foster Home for the Elderly in Pagegiai and Lauksargiai and Common Lodging-house in Taurage.  The Association of parents of hearing impaired children “Prasme”, Lithuanian Association of Mentally Disabled People “Viltis” work in the county, departments of the Lithuanian Association of Disabled People work in Taurage, Jurbarkas and Silale. Organizations uniting deaf, partially sighted and blind people have been established as well.

CULTURE AND SPORTS

 There are plenty of artistic groups and small museums in the region. 5 museums work all year round in Jurbarkas: Museum of Jurbarkas Region with a branch in Veliuona; V. Grybas Memorial Museum with children and youth art studio; memorial museums of K. Glinskis and P. Cvirka. In the Silale  districtthere is Museum of Silale Region, Barn – Museum of K. Jaunius, Museum of D. Poska and Domestic Household  Museum in Upyna. “Santaka” museum works in the Taurage town castle, Memorial Museum of Martynas Jankus was renovated in Pagegiai municipality.

Various music groups of the district take part in song festivals and competitions. International and national events are organized in the region: international artists camp in Jurbarkas, international children theatre festival “Vaivorykste”, the competition of the local singers “Silu aidai”, festival of variety theatres and singers “Alio, talentai is provincijos”, holiday of literati “Sprogstantys lapai”, folk groups and elderly people folk dancing festivals, country choir feast “Pamituvio armonika”, family gathering “Grazi musu seimynele”, country theatre festival “Kvartetas”, folk art exhibitions – all those events have already become traditional. Children and pupils art festivals are organized annually.

There are 56 sports clubs and 4 sports schools in the district. More than 60 coaches and other employers work there. A great number of national and international sports events are organized there. Football, basketball, auto sport, cycling, karate, ping-pong, checkers, chess, orienteering, judo and wrestling, track and field athletics are the most popular kinds of sports in the towns and villages.

Sports council of the  regioncoordinates the activities of sports clubs and organizations in the districts. Championships of the region have been organized since 1995 annually, the programme of which includes seven branches of sports. Traditional events are among the most popular: the sports contest of the Olympic Day, footrace in commemoration of Lithuanian Army Day, tournaments of “Sviesa” Newspaper Cup, indoor football championship, checkers and chess tournaments, New Year ping-pong tournaments, children and youth street-ball 3x3 championships, traditional sport competitions between towns, pupils team and individual cross-country competitions in autumn, relay-race and other competitions and tournaments.

Men basketball team “Taurage” and men football team “Tauras” are the most favourite among the local citizens. Active sports clubs of the  region are those: badminton club “Volanas”, box club “Kova”, karate club “Taurus”, judo club “Sfinksas”, orienteering club “Karsuva”, track and field athletics club “Ausra”, chess club “Tauragis”, auto sports club “Gralis”, cycling club “Kvedarna”, ping-pong club “Medvegalis” and other. They have trained many present champions of Lithuania and even Europe.

Sports basis of the county is being improved. “Keramika” sports complex has been reconstructed. “Polytan” running track covering that corresponds to international requirements was laid in Jurbarkas Vytautas Didysis School track and field athletics stadium. Now it is possible to organize tournaments and training camps for the sportsmen of the  region as well as of the country. The school has a specially equipped wrestling hall. A pier for the sportsmen of the academic rowing is built near Jurbarkas dam.