Astrauskas, Algirdas

The purpose of this article is to present the results of a qualitative study conducted using a questionnaire in February 2023, which aimed to reveal the peculiarities of the legal status of the mayors of Lithuanian municipalities in the presence of two different municipal structure models (the model that was applied from March 2015 to April 1, 2023, and the model that has been applied since April 1, 2023). The idea of conducting this research arose just a few weeks before the regular municipal council and mayoral elections took place on March 5, 2023, a few months before the new Local Self-Government Law came into force on April 1, 2023. This law introduced a new municipal structure model and changed the dominant role of the mayor in Lithuanian municipalities. This research is unique because of the target group chosen for it – only the ten mayors of Lithuanian municipalities who have served in these positions for four or more terms (20 or more years) were consulted. The results of the research show that: the mayors have a good understanding of the specifics of the new municipal structure applied since April 1, 2023; and the mayors are essentially prepared to take on a new role (the role of the municipal executive institution), replacing their previous role (the role of the chairman of the municipal council). However, the fact that the mayor of the municipality, who continues to be the organizer of municipal council meetings (the other role of the mayor of a Lithuanian municipality), will not have the right to vote when the municipal council makes decisions at its meeting is cause for concern. Mayors are also worried about the different interpretations regarding the possibility of transferring part of their powers to vice mayors (political appointees). The results of this research could be useful for improving the legal regulation of the powers of municipal institutions (both municipal councils and municipal mayors, in terms of the scope, composition, transfer and delegation of powers to other municipal entities) and the relations between these institutions.

The purpose of the article is to present some of the results of a research using a questionnaire survey method conducted in February 2023, which aimed to reveal the peculiarities of the legal status and roles (dominant and others) of mayors of Lithuanian municipalities and find out what necessary competences (abilities) municipal mayors must have and in what forms they must be developed, in the presence of two different municipal governance models (the model that was applied until April 2023 and the model that is applied from April 2023). The idea to conduct such research arose just a few months before the new Local Government Law (in its revised version) entered into force in June 2022, which introduced a new municipal governance model and changed the dominant role of the mayor in the municipality. This research also took place a few weeks before the regular municipal council and mayor elections (which took place on March 5, 2023). The particular target group was chosen for this research - the mayors of Lithuanian municipalities who had served in these positions for four or more terms (referred to as "experienced" mayors during the research). No similar research (in terms of purpose and respondents) has been conducted in Lithuania. The results of the research showed that "experienced" mayors have a good understanding of the specifics of the new municipal governance model to be applied from April 2023. They are essentially prepared to take on a new dominant role (the role of municipal executive institution), replacing the previous dominant role (the role of chairman of the municipal council). The results of the research also showed that "experienced" mayors understand well what necessary competencies (abilities) municipal mayors must have, as municipal governance model and the dominant role of the municipal mayor change in it. The results of the research can be useful for improving the legal regulation of the powers of municipal institutions (municipal council and municipal mayor) and the legal framework for their relationships as well as for organizing the the improvement of the competencies of municipal mayors.

The purpose of this article is to introduce two items. 1) The Civil Participation Tool, developed by the Council of Europe’s Centre of Expertise for Good Governance (2020) for the purposes of: selecting, evaluating, and classifying civil actors (stakeholders) into groups; selecting the most appropriate forms of participation in decision-making processes; providing accurate information for classified civil actors (stakeholders); developing the most appropriate strategies to activate the processes of participation for different civil actors (stakeholders) based on the assessment of their potential to engage; and enhancing the level of participation. 2) The results of educational pilot projects implemented in 6 Lithuanian municipalities in 2020. These projects confirmed the scientific hypothesis of this article: that more active civil participation in decision-making processes can be expected when the objective differences of local civil actors (stake- holders) are recognized. According to this, different forms of civil participation should be provided as well as different strategies for improving skills and increasing civil engagement in decision-making processes.

The purpose of this article is to introduce the methodology and the results of educational pilot projects implemented in Lithuania in 2020. The results of the educational pilot projects confirmed the scientific hypothesis raised by the authors of this article that more active civil participation in decision-making processes in the local communities can be expected while recognizing the objective differences of the social actors (local stakeholders)and according to that the most appropriate forms of civil participation in decision-making processes would be selected as well as the accurate information for social actors (local stakeholders) classified into some groups would be provided

This article is devoted to present a system of selected criteria created by the authors of this article and to describe the stages of implementation of strategic planning in municipalities of Lithuania into which, based on this system of selected criteria, the authors of this article have proposed to divide the period from 1990 to the present day. The division of the period of implementation of strategic planning in municipalities of Lithuania chosen based on selected criteria and the characterisation of the processes taking place during those stages allows this article to be seen as scientifically new and relevant as well as useful in terms of transferring good practice.

Šis straipsnis yra parengtas pranešimo, perskaityto Lietuvos savivaldybių seniūnų asociacijos ir Lietuvos Respublikos Seimo Valstybės valdymo ir savivaldybių komiteto 2017 m. lapkričio 22 d organizuotoje mokslinėje-praktinėje konferencijoje „Moderni seniūnija – gyvybinga bendruomenė“, pagrindu. Jame aptariami seniūnaitijų ir seniūnijų lygmenyje veikiančioms socialinėms bendruomenėms aktualūs klausimai. Straipsnyje pateikiami mokslininkų F. Tonnieso ir J. Girniaus teiginiai apie žmonių bendruomenę ir jos skirtumus, lyginant su kitu socialiniu bendrumu – žmonių organizacija, taip pat Savivaldybių įstatymo (1919.10.10) priedo „Seniūnijų organizacija“ nuostatos, tuo istoriniu laikotarpiu sudariusios teisines prielaidas rastis ir reikštis bendruomeniškumui seniūnijos lygmeniu. Šio straipsnio pridedamąją vertę sudaro straipsnio autoriaus suformuluoti teiginiai apie tai, kas, autoriaus nuomone, yra bendruomeniškumas, taip pat siūlymai dėl bendruomeniškumo Lietuvoje dabartiniu laikotarpiu didinimo (stiprinimo) seniūnaitijų ir seniūnijų lygmeniu.