The Anti-Corruption Commission of the Neringa Municipal Council conducted an investigation into the potentially non-transparent rental competition for the lifeguard station located at Juodkrantė beach, a prime commercial property within the Curonian Spit. The lifeguard station, which has been recently renovated and boasts a terrace, is situated in a high foot-traffic tourist area, making transparency in its rental essential for the local community. However, it came to light that the competition for this property did not adhere to principles of transparency, public access, or competitiveness, key requirements for such a public asset.

The investigation revealed that the announcement for the rental competition was only posted on the UAB "Neringos komunalininkas" website, which has low traffic, and was not advertised in other media, including local press or the municipality's official website. This was in contrast to the existing administrative director's regulations that stipulated stricter publicizing requirements. It appears that the company opted to confirm its own internal, less stringent rules, thus circumventing the established public notification procedures. This raises concerns about the integrity of the process and suggests that the lack of adherence to transparency may not have been a mere accident.

This situation emphasizes the importance of adhering to transparent and open procedures in local governance to prevent corruption and maintain public trust. As it stands, the residents of Neringa are justifiably concerned about the management of local resources and how such practices can erode trust in municipal authorities. The findings could lead to a call for reform in how public asset competitions are conducted to ensure fairness and transparency in the future.