Šiauliai Vice-Mayor Justinas Sartauskas on Wednesday met with members of the Jewish company over the municipal care home built close to the fence of the cemetery.
Local Jews say that human remains could be buried under the building. Jewish religious tradition law prohibits disturbing human remains.
“We agreed that the Šiauliai city municipal administration and the Jewish community will prepare a joint letter to the Committee for the Preservation of Jewish Cemeteries in Europe rabbis, asking for their explanation as to what works are permissible and how they should be carried out,” Sartauskas told BNS.
The city expects a response from the rabbis by September 9. Until then, the contractors will go on with renovation work that does not involve excavation.
Šiauliai authorities last year dropped plans to build an extension to the care home.