Research on the Development of Public Administration in Lithuania

ABSTRACT


Introduction
The distinctiveness of Lithuania's public governance is determined by its geographic, historical, and cultural experiences.Regarding the nation's development, despite its successful membership in a number of supranational organizations (such as the European Union, NATO, and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development), active implementation of public management reforms, introduction of various programs aimed at modernizing and democratizing the country, execution of numerous multifaceted projects, A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T and application of international expert recommendations, Lithuania continues to face obstacles in the central and local civil service, specifically with regard to the ideological and value gaps that exist between the management structures, methods, and legal frameworks in public administration 1 .
Young democracies frequently face challenges in attracting skilled individuals to the civil service; the execution of public policy procedures is frequently impeded by influential parties whose interests do not always coincide with generating value for the general public; and political parties, nepotism, and favoritism permeate numerous processes.Although Lithuania produces a lot of laws, their efficacy is frequently questioned 2 .By offering a thorough examination of the legal framework in relation to the development of the civil service and a summary of important research on Lithuanian public governance, this article seeks to shed light on the current status of the country's public governance development.The article aims to accomplish this by utilizing the works of Lithuanian scholars and conducting analyses of their individual components.These analyses of Mantas Bileišis et al, Alvydas Raipa 3 , Rūta Petrauskienė & Eureka Predkelytė, Vilma Čingienė et al. 4 , Arvydas Guogis & Dangis Gudelis, Adomas V. Rakšnys et al. 5 , Remigijus Civinskas et al. 6 , 2015;Vitalis Nakrošis, Vainius Smalskys et al. 7 and others include the examination of the public governance reforms in Lithuania in a broader focusing on key legislation and other legal acts and the growth of the civil service in Lithuania.
The following techniques are utilized in the article to gather and analyze data: scientific literature analysis, historical comparison analysis, document analysis with an emphasis on public records directly related to the topic at hand, data summary, and data synthesis.The results show how the public governance system in Lithuania has gradually changed from its classic components to the more avant-garde concepts of new public management, new public governance, and meta-management.The examination of the most important research on public governance in Lithuania shows that the country's experience is similar to that of other post-soviet republics.The impact of the global meta-and macroenvironment will have a significant bearing on the future paths of Lithuanian public governance development.
BESTUUR ISSN 2722-4708  Vol.11, No.2, December, 2023, pp.312-331   Guogis Arvydas, et.alIn public administration systems in Lithuania, like in other post-communist states of Central and Eastern Europe, trends in global modernization reforms are observed.The trajectories of public administration reforms distinguishing in Lithuanian scientific discourse are associated with the traditional-Weberian public administration, the new public management, good public governance, new public governance, neo-Weberianism8 , metamanagement 9 .One can further differentiate between the specific components of the subsequent meta-, macro-, meso-, and nano-level reforms: digitalization, smart public governance linked to technological advancements, electronic management and service delivery tools, and citizen participation 10 .
Notably, some authors view these reform strands as ideal types, models intended to simplify complex political and administrative social reality; others characterize these phenomena as doctrines that presuppose particular procedural and methodological differences in management, paradigms, or particular coexisting stages of the evolution of public management 11 .The desire to break away from the Soviet culture of government and the dysfunctions it caused, the need to digitize public administration processes and improve the quality of public services, the need to increase the legitimacy and transparency of the public administration system, the need to reduce highly developed bureaucratic structures and increase administrative burdens, the desire to distance themselves from the Soviet culture of government and the need for these public administration reforms, methods, principles, and ideas in eastern and central European countries, as well as the efficiency and effectiveness of public sector organizations 12 .
The primary cause of their lowest degree of expression may be traced back to specific institutions and their reform initiatives, which seek to create best practices that may help advance reforms to a higher stage.The focus of the next stage of reform implementation is on institutional networks and clusters.The third tier pertains to the incorporation of civil society, diverse stakeholders, and engaged citizen groups into reform initiatives via means including co-creation, communication, public-private sector collaborations, and additional instruments.The cultural and ideological shifts are included in the fourth level.All of the aforementioned levels are included in the fifth level of reforms, which is distinguished by systematicity.The "Sunset and Sunrise" initiatives in Lithuania, for instance, serve as an example of the first or second levels of reforms.These initiatives seek to implement economic rationalization programs, and their effectiveness has been criticized for not being compatible with the institutional framework of the country 13 .
In Lithuania, there were three Sunset Commissions, and there are two methods to evaluate how successful they were at reforming public administration.First off, the Sunset Commission is akin to an expert body in that it offers recommendations for better governance based on expertise rather than politics, as the Commission's 2009-2012 activities report points out.Second, one of the Sunset Commission's primary responsibilities is initiation/"speaking" and coordination 14 .During the analysis, it was discovered that one of the barriers to the commission's work was the Republic of Lithuania's Seimas (Parliament), where some reform proposals were halted because the heads of the institutions were using the support of the Seimas members to protect their agencies' interests.
In the realm of public management research, the analyses conducted by Lithuanian authors exhibit similarities to those undertaken by researchers from Central and Eastern Europe.These analyses are closely aligned with the examination of management changes and trends conducted in other countries within the Central and Eastern European region, as well as Western nations.The primary focus of public administration research in Lithuania commonly revolves around the examination of changes and their patterns within Lithuanian public administration as a whole or within specific sectors.Scholars such as Alvydas Raipa & Vidmantė Giedraitytė, Saulius Pivoras 15 , Vitalis Nakrošis 16 and others have devoted significant scholarly attention to various aspects of central and municipal administration, reform agendas of the Lithuanian government, innovative solutions, and the modernization of civil service.According to the analysis conducted by various authors, the reforms in Lithuania can be categorized into several stages.These stages include; the restructuring of public sector institutions, transitioning from the Soviet governance culture and its associated dysfunctions to a continental European administrative culture; reforms aimed at facilitating the integration process with the European Union; and reforms focused on establishing efficient governance that aligns with the expectations of the citizens.
When familiarizing Lithuanian public administration theorists and practitioners with contemporary public sector changes, Lithuanian scholars have regarded the theoretical and practical challenges of public administration as subject to ongoing transformation.Alvydas Raipa's scientific works primarily focus on the scientific demonstration of management reforms, innovative management methodologies, methods and procedures.Additionally, he explores the extrapolation of trends and directions of evolution of new management systems, as well as the evolution of types and processes of public management.Furthermore, Alvydas Raipa provides scientific justification for the practice of applying the principles of "good governance" in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.The works authored by Alvydas Raipa 17 predominantly emphasize the perception of public administration as a contradiction between political and administrative activities in scholarly monographs and articles.This methodological assumption facilitates the comprehension of various aspects of the public management process, including the role of state regulation, decision-making processes, the civil service, bureaucratic institutions, and their involvement in the implementation of relevant decisions 18 .
During the transition from the twentieth to the twenty-first century in Central and Eastern Europe, significant progress was made in the advancement of strategies, policies, and projects aimed at modernizing public administration.This involved enhancing the structural and functional operations of organizations, promoting intersectoral integration, and balancing centralization and decentralization in management approaches.Additionally, efforts were made to implement contemporary performance management methods and establish principles of results-oriented behavior, as well as new forms of responsibility and post-bureaucratic control over activities.In a study conducted by Lithuanian public sector researchers in collaboration with their Ukrainian counterparts, an analysis was carried out on the incident management structure in relation to contemporary global challenges associated with emergency management.Drawing from the experiences of Lithuania and Ukraine, the researchers argued that the active involvement of citizen communities during the response phase of disaster management actions can effectively mitigate the consequences of emergencies at reduced costs while also fostering public trust 19 .The study conducted by Andrius Stasiukynas et al 20 .examined the potential and modifications in citizen engagement within Lithuanian energy and waste management sectors, in light of contemporary energy management trends and climate change concerns.The research specifically investigated the capacity of public administration institutions in these domains to involve citizens in the decision-making process 21 .
Significant advancements have been made in the examination and assessment of social policy processes, administration of social services, and the efficacy of the welfare state.Arvydas Guogis has made a noteworthy contribution to the establishment of autonomous frameworks for the advancement of social protection and welfare state models in Central and Eastern Europe.This contribution is evident through the publication of a series of articles in various countries within the region, including Lithuania, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Hungary, Ukraine, Estonia, and Latvia.Additionally, he has published works on the modeling of welfare states, specifically in the realm of social security, as well as exploring alternative approaches in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, the Czech Republic, and Romania.The author, in collaboration with Adomas V. Rakšnys, has also addressed the matter of the alignment between public administration models and welfare state models 22 .They have specifically examined the definition of the welfare state in the CRE countries and have independently presented their findings in monographs and scholarly articles.Simultaneously, Lithuanian authors have exhibited considerable focus on scrutinizing the notion of intelligent public administration, accentuating the methodologies employed in organizing activities within the public sector.These methodologies aim to address pertinent challenges in public administration, such as fostering sustainable development, upholding the integrity of the public sector, and augmenting public confidence in governmental institutions 23 .In accordance with the research conducted by E.Gaulė et al., the improvement of public governance in terms of participation and cooperation through the implementation of smart dimensions presents a significant challenge that varies across different countries 24 .These research directions continue to be pertinent areas of examination in the field of public management in Lithuania at present.The examination of public sector reforms in Lithuania, within the broader framework of public management reforms in Eastern and Central European nations between 1990 and 2016, reveals numerous parallels and potentially comparable approaches.Hence, upon examining the majority of modernization reforms that have been executed or are intended to be executed within the eastern and central European states, it becomes evident that the fundamental goals and principles of these global modernization reforms can be analyzed as both complementary and as giving rise to fundamental contradictions.These contradictions manifest in various ways, such as the tension between centralization and decentralization, the conflict between promoting competition and fostering cooperation, the pursuit of enhanced accountability alongside the necessity for empowerment, the trends towards economicization and democratization, and other related phenomena.Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that in the examination of the research landscape in Lithuania, a predominant focus is observed on specific aspects of public policy implementation and case studies.For instance, an evaluation of the applicability of the new public management doctrine among prominent civil servants has been conducted 25 .The research conducted by Vilma Čingienė et al. 26 and Daiva Urmonienė & Jan Žukovskis explores the application of principles of effective public administration in the domains of sports and municipalities, respectively.The analysis of the idea of meta-management is conducted within the specific setting of health institutions, as explored by Alvydas Raipa & Daiva Čepuraitė.The analysis focuses on the examination of the connections between fundamental principles and innovations and changes in health institutions, as well as public management decision-making processes, within the framework of the new public administration.
In contrast to the public governance reforms observed in Anglo-Saxon countries, the reforms implemented in Lithuania, as well as in other eastern and central European countries, typically lack a systematic approach.The influence of the specific institutional context, characterized by elements such as corruption, interest groups, favouritism, nepotism prevalent in post-Soviet culture, the evolving legal landscape, inadequate strategic management, limited engagement of non-governmental organizations, and public apathy and skepticism towards politicians and civil servants, has a constructive impact on the processes and outcomes of reform initiatives.It is worth noting that within the Lithuanian authorship, there exists a lack of consensus about the conceptualization of progress in public administration modeling paradigms.In the pursuit of conceptualizing the New Public Management as a novel approach to public administration development, certain scholars advocate for the utilization of the new public management concept, while others endorse the notion of "smart governance," incorporating the principles of "good management" as well27 28 .The term "governance" is also employed or the notion of "metamanagement" is posited29 .Furthermore, Vitalis Nakrošis categorizes the modifications in governance that occurred subsequent to the cessation of NVV reforms as "post-New Public Management."In a comprehensive series of essays, Arvydas Guogis extensively discussed the pertinence of New Public Governance in the context of Central and Eastern Europe, with a specific focus on Lithuani.
The challenge of the New Public Governance has been formulated by the same researcher as a counterpoint or addition to the New Public Management.Adomas V.

Rakšnys et al. conducted an analysis on the issue of the correlation between New Public
Governance and postmodernism in the context of community development.The various investigations and analyzes prompt the inquiry as to whether it is both feasible and imperative to consolidate this terminology.If the matter at hand pertains solely to the matter of terminology, it is plausible that the consolidation of terms could be accomplished through the organization of a theoretical seminar or scientific conference in Lithuania.However, if the matter extends to more profound questions of conceptualization, such as the divergence in content or the arrangement of various emphases within the concept, then the endeavor to unify these perspectives and the corresponding terminology may lack coherence.
The post-communist transformation and integration of Lithuania, along with other Central and Eastern European (CRE) countries, into the European Union (EU) was characterized by a distinctive combination of market liberalization and new public management concepts.This process was accompanied by the necessity to adapt to the EU's acquis communautaire, resulting in the development of a multifaceted administrative mechanism.The initial 15 years of Lithuania's independence were marked by a dynamic process.The subsequent 15-year period witnessed the development of a more robust framework for public administration, wherein the concepts assimilated throughout this timeframe were subjected to scrutiny in light of external factors such as the global financial crisis, Lithuania's accession to the Eurozone, and its integration into the OECD.
Various writers have undertaken an analysis of these processes.However, it is worth noting the contributions of Vitalis Nakrošis, who extensively examined the agendas pertaining to public administration reforms in Lithuania.Nakrošis' works encompass a comprehensive evaluation of the practical execution of these reforms, as well as the identification of developing concerns 30 31 .In their research, Mantas Bileišis et al. aimed to elucidate the intricate interplay of these processes, the advantages of appropriate interventions, and the repercussions stemming from mistakes.This analysis underscores the enduring consequences of some institutional choices on Lithuania's governance culture, adaptability, and effectiveness.The lessons derived from this analysis hold global significance, as the careful handling of institutional constraints and initiatives pertaining to the modernization of public governance and innovation is crucial.Even minor variations in these aspects can yield substantial disparities in societal well-being and governance efficacy.

Research Method
To enhance comprehension and assessment of the progress and trajectories of contemporary public sector research in Lithuania, this study employed various methodologies including document analysis, descriptive qualitative approach, and historical data analysis.The triangulation method enables the verification of research results by integrating data and observations from many sources.The studies conducted in the field of public administration were described using Lithuanian legislation and other relevant documents.The researchers relied on the evaluation of legal acts and other pertinent materials to analyze the reforms in public administration.The analysis focused on the works of researchers in the field of Lithuanian public administration, specifically examining the substance of their monographs and scholarly publications.The objective of this discourse analysis was to elucidate the definition of public administration research in Lithuania as outlined in this article, while adhering to particular temporal parameters.The paper employed historical data analysis, as previously said, to examine the research findings spanning from the restoration of Lithuania's independence to the present era.
The rationale behind the prioritization of civil service and local self-government research in the examination of public administration development may be a subject of inquiry.The research conducted on public administration entities primarily focuses on their presence in the public domain.These entities are closely associated with issues pertaining to the stability of civil service operations, as well as the concepts of centralization, 30  decentralization, and deconcentration within state administration.Additionally, they are also connected to the promotion of citizen engagement in local governance.The article additionally examined public services and conducted an analysis of other relevant studies.It is imperative to acknowledge that all scholarly investigations pertaining to Lithuanian public administration are conducted at the confluence of public management and political science 32 .

Civil Service Research in Lithuania
Upon analysis of research conducted in the subject of public service, it can be posited that said research is closely linked to the primary transformations in its legal framework in Lithuania.These transformations may be categorized into four distinct stages, as depicted in Table 1.The Law on Officials 33 , which was enacted in 1995, served as the foundation for the establishment and delineation of the civil service's scope of operation.However, it failed to meet the standards set by the European Union.Consequently, in 1999, the Civil Service Law 34 was introduced, drawing inspiration from the practices observed in other nations.Subsequently, in 2002, the law underwent a comprehensive revision to align with the requirements for EU accession and to facilitate its modernization 35 .(1995-1998)   The Law on Officials of the Republic of Lithuania establishes the definition of a civil servant and delineates the distinct realms of public administration and politics..

II stage
( 1999-2001)   The adoption of the Law on the Civil Service of the Republic of Lithuania drew inspiration from the traditional frameworks of the civil service in France, Germany, and Spain.These models view civil servants as agents responsible for carrying out the will of the state, rather than as service providers, as is the case in Anglo-Saxon countries.

III stage (2002-2018)
During Lithuania's preparations for accession to the European Union, significant efforts were made to modernize the civil service system.As part of this process, a revised version of the Civil Service Law was enacted, resulting in a more refined definition and scope of the civil service.

IV stage (2019-2023)
The present version of the Civil Service has implemented additional measures to enhance the understanding of the civil service, establish a more adaptable remuneration structure, modify the protocols for assessing official duties, and introduce other advancements aimed at fostering a more effective organization of civil service operations in Lithuania.These initiatives seek to promote the attractiveness of the civil service while simultaneously addressing societal demands.
Currently, the Lithuanian civil service is in a state of transition towards a mixed model that incorporates prominent features of the post model 36 .The aforementioned demonstration can be observed through the enactment of the most recent legal provisions by the Lithuanian Civil Service.These legal acts were enacted in the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania in 2017 and 2023, and they serve to regulate the operations of the civil service.Nevertheless, it is imperative to underscore that the Law on the Civil Service of the Republic of Lithuania has undergone over 130 amendments, indicating a propensity for ongoing modifications 37 .The frequent and significant changes in the same legislation result in a state of legal disorder and indicate a lack of stability in the administration of the civil service, as well as the failure of political parties to reach a consensus on reforms pertaining to the public service.
The selection of historical data analysis and document content analysis were used as the primary approaches in this paper.Initially, the analysis, comparison, and evaluation of historical data have facilitated an examination of the evolution of the civil service over a thirty-year period following the restoration of Independence.This investigation has shed light on the transition from a career-based model to a hybrid model, as well as the gradual incorporation of post-based elements into civil service and its management.Furthermore, the examination of the documents involved the categorization of primary sources, specifically the laws of the Lithuanian Civil Service enacted within the past thirty years.This process enabled the identification of key milestones in the evolution of the Lithuanian State and a more precise determination of shifts in patterns of state representation, based on these legislative measures.
Within the framework of civil service reforms, Lithuanian researchers conducted an analysis encompassing various aspects.These include the conceptualization of managerial reforms and their contextualization, the actual implementation of civil service reform, the reform of the civil service itself, as well as the reform of human resources management systems.Specifically, the latter involves the development of selection processes for civil service positions and the establishment of performance management systems.Additionally, the researchers examined the aspirations for establishing a higher civil service in Lithuania and the necessary conditions for its realization 38 39 .Considerable emphasis was placed on examining the distinctive characteristics associated with the identification of Lithuanian civil servants holding different administrative positions.This examination involved the integration of "grid-group" cultural theory, symbolic interactionism, and "street-level" bureaucracy, as explored by Saulius Pivoras et al. and Remigijus Civinskas et al. 40 .

al (Research on the Development of Public Administration…)
In summarizing the findings of these studies, it is important to highlight that the Law of the Officials of the Republic of Lithuania has provided legitimacy to the traditional or legal model of civil service, commonly known as the Rechstaat model.This model emphasizes the significance of a career-based civil service system, with a particular focus on the centralized state and administrative law.The formalization of this approach occurred in 1999 through the enactment of the Civil Service Act.This legislation effectively established a clear distinction between public administration and politics, facilitating the professionalization of the former.It is noteworthy that the aforementioned transformations were primarily attributed to the impact of the European Union (EU) and its knowledgeable professionals.This was predicated on the belief that the nations in Central and Eastern Europe necessitated a bureaucracy akin to the Weberian model, as the lingering remnants of communism hindered the effective exercise of broad managerial discretion 41 .Hence, within this timeframe, scholars directed their primary focus towards evaluating the extent to which the post-Soviet bureaucracy would acclimate to the career-oriented civil service framework 42 .
The Civil Service Act underwent revision in 2002 and remained in effect until 2019, subject to subsequent modifications.The 2002 revision of the law expanded the pool of individuals eligible for civil service positions, thereby increasing accessibility.However, alongside its positive aspects, there was also a discernible political inclination to appoint individuals who previously did not meet the established criteria 43 .Notwithstanding these obstacles, subsequent iterations of this legislation and scholarly investigations have identified specific facets of civil service modernization, highlighting its focus on citizen needs, size limitation, performance evaluation, flexibility, transparency, and other related factors.The amendments made to the civil service law enabled it to gain recognition as a frontrunner among the nations of Central and Eastern Europe as of 2009.This recognition was attributed to the country's civil service, which demonstrated adherence to the principles of European public administration.Notably, the country achieved commendable outcomes in the reform of its civil service during this period.During the period spanning from 2008 to 2012, there were endeavors made to instigate substantial reforms within the civil service.However, these efforts proved unsuccessful 44 .One of the primary factors contributing to this outcome was the lack of consistent political attention, compounded by the rotation of the cabinet minister responsible for overseeing the reforms and the inadequacy of leadership in driving meaningful changes 45 .
BESTUUR ISSN 2722-4708  Vol.11, No.2, December, 2023, pp.312 In 2014, a preliminary version of the Civil Service Law was formulated and subsequently made available for public consultation.This draft aimed to incorporate novel ideas pertaining to the recruitment and assessment of civil workers, as well as to modify existing frameworks for their compensation and career advancement.Simultaneously, the paper fails to make any reference to the political aims outlined in the preceding idea, which served as the foundation for the methodical desire to reform the civil service.Certain experts argue that the endeavor to radically reform the Lithuanian public service did not yield the desired outcomes 46 .Furthermore, the historical evolution from 1990 to 2012 witnessed the appreciation of the reforms implemented in the Lithuanian civil service.During the aforementioned period of state independence, the Lithuanian civil service underwent a transition from a career-oriented paradigm to a mixed model.The subsequent model was implemented with consideration of the changes that occurred across the entire public sector, partially influenced by the reforms of the New Public Management (NPM).However, throughout the period of 1990-2012, there was a clarification of the postings model, which aimed to fully implement the reforms of New Public Management (NPM) in the civil service.Both in the subsequent period and in contemporary times, the implementation of this practice is not observed within the Lithuanian civil service.Both civil workers and policymakers concur that the civil service is ill-prepared for the implementation of the contract-based paradigm 47 .
The ongoing process involves the development of competency systems that prioritize the integration of managerial, leadership, and specialized competencies.The subject of analysis in the civil service pertains to the implementation of a new civil service law and the adoption of ideas concerning agency civil service institutions.This area of study has previously been examined by Saulius Pivoras et al. 48, Simona Stačinskaitė & Rūta Petrauskienė 49 , and others.However, further research is needed to explore the practical implementation of these ideas, their impact, and the ongoing changes in the civil service, such as the establishment of a higher civil service and the shift towards a post-based model.This necessitates a more comprehensive and in-depth investigation of the Lithuanian public sector.The Republic of Lithuania has recently implemented two new laws in 2017 and 2023.It is important to note that the Law of 2017 will be superseded by the Law on the Civil Service, which was enacted by the 2023 Parliament (Seimas) and will come into effect on 1 January 2024.These legislative developments necessitate a more comprehensive and rigorous scientific examination and assessment.In contrast, upon examining the textual content of these legal enactments, it becomes evident that the aforementioned transition takes the form of a hybrid model, incorporating distinct features from both the pre-existing model and the post model.Notable characteristics include the establishment of departmental agencies under ministries, the establishment of a more BESTUUR ISSN 2722-4708  Vol.11, No.2, December, 2023, pp.312-331   Guogis Arvydas, et.al (Research on the Development of Public Administration…) robust civil service, and the reinforcement of competitive managerial practices, among others 50 .
When employing a descriptive approach to examine the assessments made by scientists, particularly through the analysis of historical data, it becomes evident that the examination of documents, specifically civil service laws, bears striking resemblance to the generalizations made by Lithuanian scientists in evaluating the progress of reforms within the Lithuanian civil service 51 .

Local Government Research and Public Administration Research in Lithuania
The examination of the progression of local self-government and post-independence reforms in Lithuania (as depicted in Table 2) suggests that the initial phase of local selfgovernment reforms (1990-1995) was characterized by challenges, intricacies, and contentiousness.Despite the fact that institutions have acquired knowledge from past errors, an examination of the knowledge acquired from other nations points towards the most appropriate framework for the establishment of local self-governance in Lithuania.The utilization of this approach could be employed in a creative manner by a nation or a collective of nations 52 .vDuring the initial phase, the establishment of a new system of local self-government in Lithuania, characterized by democratic principles and influenced by Western models, encountered challenges that hindered its progress and impeded its desired level of success.At first, there was a preference for the consolidation of local self-governance.However, subsequently, a decision was made to transition towards the deconcentration of administrative control.The period from 1995 to 2000 marked the second phase in the evolution of the Lithuanian system of local self-government 53 .This stage witnessed the establishment of a contemporary democratic model of local self-government, inspired by Western practices, within the Lithuanian context.However, the second stage of the growth of the local self-government system in Lithuania did not unfold as anticipated.The commencement of the third phase of local self-government growth in Lithuania occurred in late 2000 and remains in effect up to the present time 54 .The Lithuanian system of local self-government can be characterized as a deconcentrated type of governance in its relationship with the central government.(1990-1995)   In the initial phase, the creation of the local self-government system occurred through two distinct trajectories: the dismantling of the previous Soviet system of local ISSN 2722-4708  Vol.11, No.2, December, 2023, pp.312  (1995-2000)   The establishment of a modern Western-style democratic system of local selfgovernment in Lithuania occurred when a decision was made to revise the foundational principles underlying the creation of the Lithuanian system of local self-government.This revision encompassed various aspects, including the theoretical framework of local self-government and the organizational model employed.

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Phase III  (2000now)   During this phase, significant emphasis was placed on the division of autonomous and delegated state functions within the municipality.This led to the implementation of a dualistic model for the organizational structure of the local municipality, along with other modifications aligned with the established constitutional doctrine of local selfgovernment.

Source: Astrauskas, 2015
The chosen approach for examining the evolution and phases of Lithuanian local selfgovernment reforms was the utilization of historical data analysis.Given the limited number of researchers in Lithuania dedicated to evaluating the local self-government reforms, our selection process focused on those scholars who extensively examined the changes that have occurred in the local self-government system since the country's independence.To accomplish this, we relied on secondary sources, specifically the scientific articles authored by these researchers, to organize the various stages of reforms and transformations in Lithuanian local self-government.
In their study, Aistė Lazauskienė & Jurga Bučaitė-Vilkė conducted research on the political leadership of mayors and the desired characteristics of political leaders in local self-government in Lithuania.Also, in collaboration with Polish scholars 55 , the publication titled "The Collaboration of Municipalities in the Provision of Public Services" has been published.A significant contribution to the research on the evolution of local selfgovernment in Lithuania has been made by A. Lazauskienė as well.Concurrently with the aforementioned research focus on local self-governance, much emphasis was placed on the involvement of residents and the associations that bring them together 56 .Various scholars have examined the reforms implemented in local self-government and their strategies and tactics for empowerment.These studies aim to identify the potential mechanisms of participation and the value it creates 57 .One particular focus has been on the impact of community participation in decision-making at the lowest level of territorial municipalities, BESTUUR ISSN 2722-4708  Vol.11, No.2, December, 2023, pp.312 known as elderships.Additionally, attention has been given to the management factors of local communities that ensure the functionality of population activities58 .
The research on Lithuanian local self-government primarily addresses contemporary issues pertaining to this domain.These include the decentralization of local selfgovernment, deconcentration, the diffusion in management of citizens and local communities, and the quality of public service provision by local self-government entities.Upon conducting an analysis of the various stages of local self-government reforms, we proceeded to examine the pertinent ongoing and continuously emerging persistent issues pertaining to local governance.In this study, we employed a descriptive methodology to assess the scientific literature by analyzing publications authored by various scholars.This development facilitated the identification of the most pertinent and previously discussed contemporary research trends pertaining to local self-governance 59 .
Research conducted in the field of public administration in Lithuania has demonstrated noteworthy advancements in recent years.The aforementioned phenomenon has been subject to the influence of alterations in the employed methodologies, the integration of several disciplines, and the evolving approaches adopted by researchers in their analyses of the most challenging research problems.Researchers often address issues related to the separation of the civil service from politics and the interplay between social policy-making and the administration of social services.This underscores the interdisciplinary nature of their study.
In the forthcoming period, posit that research domains encompassing climate change, social equality, technology utilization and data analytics, migration, governmental capacity, and the interplay and synergy among these domains will assume heightened significance within the realm of public administration research 60 .The emergence of these themes in research in Lithuania is being observed gradually.Scholars hailing from this nation have recently embarked onto the examination of the significance of evidence-based approaches within public management entities, the matter of gender equality within the public sector, the ramifications of sustainability and climate change on the operations of public sector organizations, and related topics 61 .

Conclusion
It can be argued that the study of Lithuanian public administration has been closely linked to the evolution of traditional public administration, with a focus on evaluating new public management practices and implementing various public management innovations (such as good governance and meta-management) within public sector organizations, since BESTUUR ISSN 2722-4708  Vol.11, No.2, December, 2023, pp.312-331   Guogis Arvydas, et.al (Research on the Development of Public Administration…)   the inception of state restoration.Research of a like type was conducted in additional Central and Eastern European nations.The research conducted on public administration in Lithuania encompassed a wide range of subjects pertaining to areas and activities within the public sector.The researchers conducted an analysis of several processes related to the transformation that occurred in the post-Soviet era.These processes included the centralization and decentralization of public management, the difficulties associated with integrating different sectors, the challenges of involving citizens in the activities of public sector organizations, the evaluation of the quality of public services (with a particular focus on social services), and the various challenges encountered during the implementation of social policy.However, as indicated in the content of this article, a significant portion of the research focused on the challenges pertaining to the Lithuanian civil service and local self-government.The future direction of public administration research in Lithuania will focus on addressing challenges encountered by the public sector and society in other countries.These challenges include sustainable development, climate change, gender equality, and other contemporary issues that have a direct or indirect impact on the public sector.

Table 1 :
Key Amendments to the Legal Regulation of the Civil Service in Lithuania

Table 2
Primary Stages of Local Self-Government Reforms in Lithuania -331 Guogis Arvydas, et.al (Research on the Development of Public Administration…) governance and the establishment of a novel democratic model inspired by Western practices.