INDEPENDENT REGULATORY AND ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITIES IN THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA

Abstract

The aim of this research is to identify the independent regulatory authorities in the Republic ofLithuania. Western scholars use a lot of terms in defining this type of institutions, i.e. in Great Britainthey are called QUANGOs (quasi-autonomous non governmental organizations), in the U.S.A. – IRAs (independentregulatory agencies), in France – les autorités administratives indépendantes, in Italy – autoritaindipendenti, in Germany – Ministerialfreie Verwaltung, in Czech Republic – nezávislé správníúřady. Obviously, in these categories dominates the term “independent”. There are regulatory and administrativeinstitutions in Lithuania which are never called independent. The scientists, politicians, andpractitioners entitle them as institutions accountable to the Seimas (parliament), President or Government.We presume that these entities correspond to the features which Western scholars consider as characteristicto independent state authorities. Let us assume that namely these entities cover the niche inLithuania of so called independent regulatory and administrative authorities. The article discusses characteristicof independent state authorities, the convergence of “administrative” and “regulatory” categories.The analysis also deals with the aspects of their institutional structure, activity, and their place in thepublic administration entities’ system.