By ensuring that only safe, proper quality and effective as well, as reasonable with respect to cost medicines, which conform to the requirements, applied by the EU would be available on the Lithuanian Market. Legal documents are being drafted, which regulate pharmaceutical activity, introducing the requirements of EU directives in the sphere of medicines and medical devices.
\nPhysical Culture and Sport In wanting to raise a full harmonious personality, physical culture and sport comprise a significant component part of the educational process. Having infused a need of physical activity yet in their youth years, we will raise young people who are healthy, physically fit and prepared for life. In a self-renewing society, physical culture and sport should become an integral part of human life, and therefore we are promoting after school sport activities, implementing summer programmes of children’s activities, developing sport club activities, and also, selecting talented children and preparing them for major sports. Greatly skilled athletes comprise a dependable and peaceful means of publicising one’s country and proclaiming its name throughout the world.
\nSecure State The strategy anticipated for the implementation of this priority is as follows: to expediently employ the membership in NATO in order to create a secure environment; to actively participate in the mutual EU foreign security policy and also, in the creation and enhancement of the mutual EU defence policy; to actively utilise the experience of the diplomatic service of Lithuania in forming EU policy in the context of a “more expanded Europe” initiative (Belarus, Kaliningrad Region, Russia, Ukraine); to develop relations of good neighbourliness and initiatives of regional co-operation; to continue a policy of the measures which strengthen security and trust (like the OSCE) in relations with the eastern neighbours; to co-operate on an international scale in the fight against terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, arms control, prevention of criminal activity and other issues; to promote international co-operation in the support of global renewable environment, combating drugs, illegal migration and trafficking in human beings, fight against extremely dangerous diseases and in other areas; to ensure the protection of Lithuania’s borders, as the external EU borders; to implement the requirements of the EU Shengen Treaty and to join the Shengen space; to co-operate in the fight against illegal migration; to be active in the area of crisis prevention.
\nWealthy State The integral parts of the strategy of this priority are: to employ the EU common market and EU trade policy to serve the commercial and economic interests of Lithuania; to ensure long-term EU structural support and to use it constructively; to join the Economic and Monetary Union; to develop the infrastructure in the region, particularly the most important networks of the transport infrastructure of Lithuania, modernise them while integrating into the European Union and joining and connecting the country’s transport systems with the European ones; to develop bilateral economic diplomacy in close co-ordination with the structures of Lithuania’s economy, trade representatives and special agencies; to make use of the membership in the World Trade Organisation (WTO), ensuring the commercial and economic interests of Lithuania; to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and actively participate in its activities; to propagate Lithuania as a country attractive for international tourism.
\nInfluential State The strategy of implementing this priority is as follows: to stimulate the interest of the nationals of Lithuania in EU activities by propagating European values and solidarity of EU countries; to make up a competent and modern corps of officials to actively participate in EU life; to further develop within the EU the “community” method of action; to preserve the principles of solidarity and cohesion; to root the international prestige of the Lithuanian State, by propagating human and minority rights, democratic ideas, and a positive experience of Lithuania in solving these issues in the activities of the UN, OSCE, CEE and other international organisations); to contribute on an international scale to the formation of a new cultural policy commensurate with the new European and global reality, to international initiatives, by which one seeks to root the equality of cultures and languages, and ourselves to promote such initiatives; to raise Lithuania’s candidacy in electing the bodies of international organisations, and first of all, the candidacy of the chairman of OSCE for 2007/2008., and non-permanent members of the UN Security Council for 1012; to give more attention to the enlargement policy with a view to its usefulness to Lithuania and EU, through the gradual increase of the funds earmarked for it and expanding its geography; to expand public diplomacy by making use of cultural events youth exchanges, scientific and cultural exchanges, Lithuania’s initiatives in activities of international organisations (e.g., Vilnius- European Capital of Culture, International Youth Year in Vilnius etc.), specific support for Lithuania’s regions to access the world.
\nResponsible State Two blocks of tasks implement this priority:
\nRelations with the émigrés, consular assistance to nationals abroad.
\nSpecific tasks:
\nTo maintain and strengthen relations with Lithuanian émigrés;
\nTo assist in ensuring émigré rights, especially in the neighbouring states, through focusing the attention of these states on problems which have arisen and searching for a solution thereof; to draw the émigrés into the process of implementing Lithuania’s priorities; to expand consular assistance to nationals: to constantly supply nationals with information concerning the dangerousness of various regions world-wide and specific journeys; to implement reforms in the consular service to nationals by speeding up the issuance of documents, and facilitating the procedures of passport replacement; to create a system of assistance abroad for the Republic of Lithuania nationals who fall victim to misfortune abroad; to make better use of the system of honour consuls in rendering consular assistance in places where there are no Republic of Lithuania diplomatic missions; to further expand the network of honour consuls in countries, where such missions shall not be established in the near future.
\nDevelopment of Diplomatic Service The diplomatic preparedness of the state is one of the most important tasks of foreign policy.
\nThe realities of the foreign policy of Lithuania which will influence the strategy of the expansion of the diplomatic service during the next decade, are as follows: Lithuania’s membership in the EU and NATO, the strengthening of Lithuania’s role as a regional operator and one of the regional leaders; representation of regional interests according to actual needs, including the interests in the states beyond the limits of the transatlantic expanse, which are undergoing speedy economic growth and the shifting geography of the movement and life of Lithuania’s nationals.
\nIn expanding the diplomatic service, the following aspects shall be accorded principal attention:
\nCo-ordination of the implementation of foreign policy; preparation of highly qualified diplomats with a view to the tasks and requirements posed for the service; development of a purposeful network of diplomatic representation based on actual needs, reinforcement of the existing diplomatic missions; improvement of the technical data base and ensuring the security which meets the EU and NATO standards; development of public relations and public diplomacy.
\nWith a view to ensuring the protection of the civil rights of the consumers, business people, other natural and legal persons, and regulating by legal means of the environment favourable for business it is necessary to take the following steps and measures: to continue the activation of the mortgage system. In order to ensure the protection of civil rights the mortgage register has to be developed; to ensure the protection of consumer rights: to create an effective legal-institutional system and to guarantee its optimal functioning; to raise public awareness about law in order to enhance its trust in the legal system.
\nWith a view to developing and implementing the national system of legal assistance, to provide equal opportunities for all persons, irrespective of their ethnic origin, sex and convictions, to protect their rights and lawful interests and to seek justice, it is necessary to take the following steps must be taken: to provide state legal assistance; to co-ordinate the relations between the state and religious communities on he basis of principles of religious tolerance; to create conditions for carrying out qualified expert examination on the direction of law enforcement institutions.
\nAnalysis and improvement of the process of law making in Lithuania in accordance with European standards, on the basis of the principle of continuity, through a flexible application of different methods of legal regulation and measures, requires the implementation of the following measures: implementation of the guidelines for the improvement of law making: enhancement of the procedure for drafting, assessment, co-ordination, adoption and publication of legal acts; setting up of a viable mechanism for the implementation of laws which would ensure compliance with law by every state or municipal institution, involving the participation of the public in the making of the most vital decisions; independent expert assessment of legal acts, both existing and those to be drafted; research in the individual branches of the legal system; implementation of the programmes on crime prevention, juvenile justice and others.
\nWith a view to creating conditions for the enforcement of sentences in compliance with the requirements of the laws of the Republic of Lithuania and international agreements, carrying out the enforcement of sentences and applying corrective measures for the convicted persons provided by laws, harmonising the conditions at the institutions of deprivation of liberty and detention centres for the convicted persons and persons serving their sentences with the appropriate international standards, it is necessary to take the following measures: the reform of the penal system must be made up of two parts – legal and organisational. A mechanism for the implementation of the Code of the Enforcement of Sentences must be created; pre-trial detention and enforcement of sentences must be used in order to ensure an effective functioning of correctional institutions and enforcement of deprivation of liberty and other sentences; a model for a suspended sentence and probation in line with the requirements set out in the instruments of international law must be created; the staff of correctional institutions must be trained to provide social counselling when necessary to the persons serving their sentences; harmonising the system of pre-trial detention and the enforcement of sentences with the requirements prescribed by the instruments of international organisations and, having regard to the progressive experience of foreign countries, to provide to the detainees and the convicted persons appropriate living conditions provided by law. to represent the Government of the Republic of Lithuania at the European Court of Justice.
\nCOMPETITIVE ECONOMY The state must direct Lithuania’s economy towards the production of intellectual products and provision of intellectual services in such a way that by means of generating the income, it would be a full-fledged member of the world market, capable of co-operating and competing. The State must also develop the information technologies based on gradually upgraded means of telecommunications and information. (The Long-term Economic Development Strategy of Lithuanian until 2015, approved by Resolution No 853 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania of 12 June 2002.) 1. Industry and Business A strategic goal of the development of industry is to achieve that by the year 2015 as many enterprises operating in Lithuania as possible would be competitive at the international level, and the structure of industry and industry-related business, as well as a created share of the national product would be close to the indices of the EU Member States.
\nThe most important objectives which must be implemented at the national level when pursuing a strategic goal of the industry development, are as follows: to create stable macroeconomic and legal environment favourable for business, and the infrastructure encouraging investments in the development of modern industry; to strengthen general and specific factors determining competitiveness of the national industry and its sustainable development; to create an efficient national system of innovations which would guarantee favourable conditions for the integration of science and manufacturing, the creation and dissemination of new technologies and operational methods; to prepare and implement the strategy of attracting investments in Lithuania’s industry that would encourage green field investments and investments by including Lithuanian enterprises in knowledge economy clusters; to guarantee equal competition conditions for domestic and foreign companies, to ensure fair competition, protection of domestic market against low quality products; to prepare and implement the strategy of creation of national industry clusters; to encourage with economic and other measures the improvement of the competence of heads and specialists of enterprises, to create for them favourable conditions to obtain information about markets and other important aspects of activities; to improve corporate industry management by encouraging the co-operation between enterprises and groups of various interests; to create favourable legal environment and infrastructure for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, including the enterprises providing business services for industrial enterprises; to facilitate conditions of restructuring and bankruptcy of enterprises which are unable to compete, as well as the procedures for establishing and liquidating new enterprises; to improve for enterprises the conditions of self-provision with financial resources.
\nPriorities of industry development The priorities of the strategy of industry development are as follows: activities creating major added value, which are based on science, knowledge and high technologies in any branch of industry, including traditional industrial sectors; those industrial development directions which are based on knowledge, are recognised as priority ones when creating and developing a common European Research Area. This would allow to draw the structure of Lithuania’s industry closer to the developed countries when creating and introducing scientific research and technologies, to use the EU funds and scientific-technological potential, Lithuanian enterprises and scientific organisations to join strong industry clusters; sustainable development of industry, ensuring more rational use of energy and natural resources, reduction of waste and pollution, the impact of a created product on the environment during its whole life cycle, a more sustainable development of regions and better employment of their potential.
\nImplementation of the strategy of industry The strategy of industry development is closely related with other strategies of economic development: development of small and medium-sized business; social development and economic factors of employment; development of external economic relations; economic factors of environmental protection; development of science and technologies.
\nAll the aforementioned strategies must be implemented through the programmes approved by the Government. Undoubtedly, the strategy of industry development should become a political document and serve as a basis for the creation of future government programmes.
\nIn the nearest future it is expedient to renew current Programmes on Innovations in Business and on the National Quality, and to draw up new programmes – on High Technologies, on the Implementation of the Provisions of the White Book, on the Sustainable Development of Industry, on the Creation and Development of Industrial Clusters, and on the Development of Small and Medium-sized Business. Constant evaluation and improvement of the investment environment is an objective of major importance.
\nAssociations representing activities of manufacturing industry have already drafted or are in the process of drawing up strategies or programmes on the development of those activities. The said strategies and programmes should be amended taking into consideration these provisions of a long-term strategy of industry.
\nThe draft plan of the development of the system of Lithuania’s higher education for the period of 2002-2006, which is under consideration at the moment, should be harmonised with this long-term strategy of industry development. The chapters of this draft dedicated to the quality of studies, match of supply and demand of specialists on the labour market, integration of studies and science, as well as the systems of continuous training are especially important for the development of Lithuania’s industry.
\nStrategic trends of the development of small and medium-sized business before the accession to the European Union: to improve legal and economic environment of small and medium-sized business; to improvement financial support for small and medium-sized business entities; to provide business information, training and consulting services; to encourage application of innovations and information technologies when developing small and medium-sized business; to improve institutional infrastructure; to develop business self-governance; to develop small and medium-sized business in regions; to encourage the co-operation of large and small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as mutual co-operation between small and medium-sized enterprises at national and international levels; to integrate sections of society into small and medium-sized business; to encourage entrepreneurship, using the system of education.
\nStrategic trends of the development of small and medium-sized business after Lithuania’s accession to the European Union Establishment of new small and medium-sized enterprises: to promote the establishment of small and medium-sized enterprises: expenses related to the establishment of small and medium-sized business must become competitive within the European Union, it is necessary to create an Internet system of the registration of small and medium-sized enterprises, and to make it accessible for businessmen; to expand financial services for small and medium-sized enterprises through the creation of appropriate measures and improvement of conditions for the use of soft credits and micro-credits, risk capital funds, loan insurance, support of the EU structural funds; to promote the establishment of innovation enterprises – to increase the number of new small and medium-sized innovation enterprises, especially in business incubators and parks of science and technologies supported by the State.
\nStrategic trends of the development of small and medium-sized business : to promote and support national research programmes designed for commercial application of knowledge and technologies, development of small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as the application of quality requirements and installation of certification systems; to implement programmes promoting technological co-operation of enterprises of different sizes at the national and international levels; to create international information and business-support systems together with the EU member states, which would be easily understandable and transferable through network.
\nRegional development of small and medium-sized business: to create and implement a regional development policy; to prepare strategic regional development plans, including the plans of small and medium-sized business development; to efficiently use potential of regional business development.
\nImprovement of qualifications of employees of small and medium-sized enterprises: to prepare modules concerning information about business and entrepreneurship, and to include them into the programmes of studies of secondary schools, colleges and universities; to develop courses for training international business specialists, educating for entrepreneurship, and insuring the improvement of qualifications, as well as to improve the quality of such courses; to develop the network of institutions providing consulting training services; to support the provision of consulting and training services for small and medium-sized enterprises and potential businessmen; to promote investments of enterprises in the improvement of qualifications of employees.
\nInfrastructure of small and medium-sized business: to create a system of the collection, analysis and dissemination of information; to create legal and economic conditions for the development of physical infrastructure; to create and improve an institutional infrastructure providing non-financial support for the development of small and medium-sized business medium-sized business. Tasks of small and medium-sized business development must be implemented in an integrated manner through three different institutional levels: national level (the National Programme on the Development of Small and Medium-sized Business); regional level (support and development of institutions); local level (support and development of businessmen and business level).
\nShould fossil fuel prices go up in future, it would be wiser to build new, large capacity power plants – a combined cycle gas turbin plant and new combined heat and power plants.
\nAfter the upgrading of the existing thermal plants, combined heat and power plants would be the cheapest source of generation of electricity, and the share of electricity generated by them, including the new combined heat and power plants, would rise up to 35-45 per cent in the total balance of electricity by 2015-2020.
\nIn order to be integrated in the power system of Western European countries the construction of a powerful transmission line to Poland is an immediate necessity. It would not only provide an opportunity for the export of surplus electricity to the West but would also contribute to the integration into the electricity markets of Europe and to the enhancement of reliability of energy supply.
\nOther key tasks:
\nIn the electricity sector: upgrading of the available capacities of the power plants, bringing them in line with the demands of the market economy, consistent introduction of the instant measures for the regulation of power balance; reconstruction and upgrading of the physically and morally outdated electricity transmission and distribution networks to meet the increasing demand as well as the reliability and quality requirements of electricity supply; promotion of collaboration and co-operation with the Baltic and Nordic countries; modernisation of high-voltage lines, development of a single electricity market, optimal use of the potential of electricity systems of the Baltic countries.
\nIn the sector of nuclear energy: upgrading of nuclear safety during the operation and decommissioning of the Ignalina NPP; creation of the infrastructure in line with modern international requirements for the management of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, its storage and disposal; in order to remain a nuclear state in future and generate electricity at nuclear plants meeting contemporary safety requirements, it is necessary to encourage investment into the construction of a new nuclear unit by using the current infrastructure of the Ignalina NPP;
\nIn the heat sector: combined heat and power plants must be installed in the district heating systems using natural gas provided that it is economically feasible; the use of alternative sources of energy in the district heating systems must be encouraged; the district heating systems must be upgraded steadily, by providing the consumers with a possibility to regulate their heat consumption; purchasing of electricity generated by the combined heat and power plants must be encouraged and the capacities of theses plants must be exploited for heating to the maximum; special long term development plans for the use of types of power for heating and of the district heating sector, as well as a programme of upgrading of this sector must be developed and implemented; the establishment of power equipment maintenance undertakings must be promoted.
\nIn the natural gas sector: to promote the development of gas transmission network and gas transit via the territory of the country; to establish a gas metering station on the border with Latvia and to connect it with Latvia's gas supply system and with its underground gas storage; in conjunction with the other Baltic states to prepare the project for interconnection with the gas networks of Poland and Finland and to seek to implement it; to continue investigation and later, if it is found economically feasible, to construct the underground gas storage in Lithuania.
\nIn the system of oil product supply: to discontinue, as of 2005, the use of oil products which do not comply with the EU limit value for pollutant emission; to promote the use of ecologically sound types of fuel - low sulphur heavy fuel oil and domestic heating fuel by imposing and revising natural resources tax and pollution tax; to build mandatory 90-day state stocks of crude oil and petroleum products by the end of 2009.
\nThe use of indigenous and renewable energy resources: to seek that energy generated by renewable resources by the year 2015 should form a share corresponding to that prescribed by the directives of the European Union; to promote, by economic, legal and organisational measures, the use of wood, municipal and agricultural waste and other kinds of indigenous fuel; to seek wider utilisation of other energy resources (hydro, waste energy, biogas, municipal waste, wind, solar and geothermal energy).
\nIncreasing energy efficiency: to draft and revise legal and statutory acts; to renovate buildings and modernise their energy economy; to prepare and implement technical regulations relating to energy conservation and the programme for the development of the necessary infrastructure (testing laboratories and attestation institutions); to introduce in production processes modern technologies and energy conservation measures; to strengthen scientific, information, educational and consultative activities.
\nEnvironmental protection: to seek a well-balanced structure of primary energy supply (increasing the share of natural gas and renewable energy resources) to ensure that after the decommissioning of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant the atmospheric emission of CO2 does not exceed Lithuania's commitments under the Kyoto Protocol; to develop measures in energy generation sources for the reduction of SO2 and NOx emissions to permissible levels; to further develop the environmental auditing system; to install pollution monitoring systems in the major thermal power plants and boiler houses; to further improve the pollutions charges system seeking to assign certain amount of gathered funds for the implementation of pollution reduction measures.
\nMarket liberalisation and competition, legal and institutional reform: to liberalise the electricity and gas sectors opening the market in accordance with the requirements of the EU directives; to revise the legal acts regulating the energy sector activities; to reduce the Government's influence on the electricity companies, to authorise state institutions to settle only the strategic issues of energy sector planning, development and regulation; to privatise natural gas transmission and distribution enterprises and electricity sector enterprises that are set aside for privatisation, to proceed with the privatisation of oil processing and transportation enterprises, to encourage loical and foreign investors to take part in modernising and restructuring energy facilities; high voltage electricity transmission grid must remain under the State control; to expand collaboration and co-operation with the Baltic States, to create a common electricity market ensuring better utilisation of available generating capacities for the satisfaction of the demand of the three countries.
\nPriority consideration is accorded to reconstruction and modernisation of those objects of transport infrastructure, which coincide with the most important perspective component parts of the transportation network of the European Union, as established by the European Commission. Primarily, one strives to bring about Lithuania’s becoming an actual transit state, and that the most favourable conditions would be created for transit.
\nWith these goals in mind a long-time strategy of the development of Lithuania’s economy until 2015, has been drafted, in which the directions of transport and transit development have been minutely detailed, programmes of the development of major transport branches (road supervision and development, renovation and development of the infrastructure of Lithuania’s railroads, restructuring of AB “Lietuvos Geležinkeliai,” [“Lithuanian Railways”], improvement of the State Seaport of Klaipėda, expansion of Vilnius Airport), etc. The strategy of the development of the navigation sector of Lithuania has been drafted. The Acquis Communautaire of the European Union is being implemented. The laws, which regulated the activities of the transport branches and other legal acts shall be changed by January 1, 2004 and be adjusted to the Acquis Communautaire of the European Union.
\nIn the transport and transit strategy of Lithuania the most important priorities are assigned to: modernising and development of the infrastructure of the roads, rails, Klaipėda Seaport, Vilnius, Kaunas and Palanga Airports, according to the TINA Programme, striving that the principal transport arteries and ties of the European Union would be recognised as a part of the transeuropean network (TEN-TR) (would officially acquire such status). Particular attention shall be given to the modernisation of the I railway corridor (north-south direction) and inclusion of it in the transeuropean networks; to create logistics centres in Kaunas, Klaipėda and Vilnius and include them in the European network of multimodal logistics centres; to implement (complete) structural reforms by taking into account the solid experience of the European countries; to integrate Lithuania‘s carriers into the market of transportation services of the European Union; to improve the interplay of transportation types (expansion of multimodal transportation processes), in order to ensure a new quality of transport services (for passenger and freight carriage); to solve the issues of international cooperation in the Baltic Sea region by striving to find opportunities of expanding transit services in the north-south and west-east directions with particular attention focused on the ports of southern Sweden and northern Germany; to apply the principles of private and public capital partnership (PPP) in financing the objects of transport infrastructure.
\nIn preparing the specific measures of implementing the priorities, while being mindful of the methodological principles of transport system development confirmed by science and practice:
\nComplexity. While readying the various measures, related to the development of the transport system, one must be aware of all possible consequences of their implementation (among them not only those of technological and economic, but also social, ecological and other character) as much for the transportation sector as also other sectors of the country’s economy.
\nDynamism. During the transformation and integration of the country’s economy into EU market conditions, with fundamental structural changes in the economy and foreign trade occurring, it is necessary to assess the impact of the time factor in expanding transport and transit (to predict changes in carrying demands, changes in transportation objects, work conditions and regimen changes and transit demands).
\nEffectiveness. The general amount of the resources, which the State disposes, is limited and therefore, in selecting and assessing the measures of the expansion of commercial transportation activities (equalising expenditures and results) it is necessary in each actual case to guarantee the effect, to be no lesser than it is possible to achieve in another sector of the country’s economy. Projects of the expansion of transportation infrastructure, which must prove profitable on a countrywide scale, constitute an exception.
\nDevelopment by Stages. The development of the needs of complex transport systems has a discretionary nature. In view of the fact that it is impossible to also increase by stages the capacity of the infrastructure with the growing needs of carriage development, every new stage in the development of transport infrastructure must guarantee efficient functioning of the transport system for a sufficiently ample period of time.
\nSupport of Income of Producers of Agricultural Production:
\nUntil accession into the EU to pay direct payments and compensations. Following the accession of Lithuania to membership in the EU, to apply the general EU principles of agricultural development taking into account the negotiation results.
\nPromotion of Restructuring and Modernisation: to promote investments in primary agricultural production and restructuring and modernisation of the processing industry and to speed up farm specialisation; in providing state support, to promote the manufacture of ecological production , to create favourable conditions for a market of ecological products to emerge. To improve the certification system of ecological farms. to differentiate the investment support in giving priority to young farmers, cooperrative societies, and producers groups; to provide investment support to those farming in less favourable locations; to prepare the financial measures to reduce certain indirect expenses; to promote co-operation; to develop the entrepreneurship of agricultural entities and capability to adapt to market changes.
\nExpansion of Markets and Increase of Competitiveness: to examine promising markets of foreign countries and provide information concerning the specifics of foreign markets; to create an image of Lithuanian products and system of the trade infrastructure abroad; to strengthen control of the mandatory requirements of food safety, quality and marking; to provide only indirect export incentives; to apply the special measures of market protection, set forth in the Law on Safeguard Measures, Law on Countervailing Duties, and Anti-dumping Law;
\nFollowing Lithuania’s accession to the EU, to apply the EU system of market regulation and export promotion.
\nImprovement of Production Infrastructure to provide for measures of electrification, construction and reconstruction of rural roads. To form legal, financial and organisational pre-conditions, which would create a cohesive system of services of technical supervision, transport, supply of resources and sale of production. To implement a reliable system of certification of agricultural machinery; to provide for a basic restructuring of land reclamation and water management economy - privatisation of land reclamation property;
\nImprovement of Financial Infrastructure to create and develop a system of credit favourable for agriculture; to develop a system of loan insurance, in restructuring the activities of the guarantee fund of agricultural loans according to the principles of activities of similar EU institutions; to implement a system of licensed warehouses through creating reserve insurance funds and applying warehousing certificates as securities in the financial market; to improve the system of insurance of real property, crops, livestock and vehicles. To implement the insurance system of financial risk of the investment projects.
\nDevelopment of Science, Instruction, Consultation and Information Services: to create a common intellectual development system of agriculture, which includes the areas of science, studies, vocational continuing education and consultation; to develop R&D; to modernise the science and studies base; to create and develop a continuing system of education; to create a common national system of agricultural information;
\nTo develop consulting services.
\nRational Use of Land and Formation of Land Market: to regulate the legal land relations, complete restoration of property rights to land; to promote the development of the land market and joining of land plots; to perform geodesic and cartographic operations and, create a system of land information; to implement the complex of legal, economic, organisational and administrational measures in order to maintain a good cultural and technical condition, to preserve land productivity and improve the condition of land reclamation equipment.
\nEnvironmental Protection, Food Quality and Safety Ensuring: to apply general measures (EU legal acts are implemented, conformity of assessment infrastructure of raw materials and food products is improved and reinforced, maintenance of an international level of accredited laboratories is ensured), veterinary measures, phyto-sanitary measures and turn out ecological production.
\nPreparation for the use of aid from structural funds necessitates the enhancement of administrative capacities on all levels of management. During the drafting of programming documents and the administration of structural funds close co-operation with the European Union structures and the national, regional and local institutions of the EU Member States is essential.
\nThe reform of the tax system. With a view to ensuring the needed level of revenue collection, the state must allocate appropriate funding for the enhancement of the tax administration through investing into the information technologies of the tax administering institutions, training of the personnel etc., and educate the tax payers. The reform of the tax system has to proceed in conformity with the international taxation practices, especially the requirements of the European Union, having regard to the negotiation commitments. The ongoing budgetary reform requires the application of the principles of strategic planning for the procedures of drafting municipal budgets. For the discharge of state functions delegated to the municipalities, special grants should be allocated to them from the state budget in accordance with a special methodology designed for the calculation of the funds for the performance of said function, and applicable to all municipalities.
\nMore effective management of the state debt calls for a more extended maturity of the borrowing instruments and an increased liquidity of the Government securities on the secondary market. To enhance the circulation of government securities it is imperative to use modern technologies much more extensively; to reduce the scope of the guarantees and to provide them only for financing the infrastructure and projects of state significance.
\nOne of the state’s strategic targets is the improvement of the housing crediting system. The reforms in housing crediting should contribute to a transfer from the socially oriented housing development, the centralised and subsidised financing of housing to a commercially viable financial system which would allow the housing sector to operate in accordance with the market principles.
\nThe policy of development of the insurance market will involve the enhancement of the potential of insurance companies, lifting the regulation of the investment of their authorised capital and abolition of the restrictions on their investment activities. It is planned to introduce a qualitatively new statistical accounting of insurance companies which would have a greater informative value and could give a more accurate picture about the insurance company and the insurance market of Lithuania.
\nPrior to the accession to the EU, the efforts aimed at making the legal and technical basis of the instruments of monetary policy more viable will continue to create uniform and more favourable conditions for a transition in future to the monetary policy instruments applied in the Euro system and for an accession to the Economic and Monetary Union.
\nReduction of social and economic differences between the regions and disproportion between separate sectors within the regions by providing the State support to problem territories and regions which have specific regional problems in separate sectors. A plan for the reduction of social and economic differences between the regions is being drawn up. Development of investment attractiveness of the regions. Development of the networks of collaboration and co-operation between industrial enterprises of the regions. Ensuring the development of the network of sustainable healthcare in the regions.
\nTo develop a technical and social infrastructure of the regions on the basis of the principles of sustainable development.
\nDetermination of the principles of Lithuania’s regional development policy, taking into consideration the EU and national policy; analysis of models of regional development and research into application thereof. Provision of direct local financial support for business (soft credits, coverage of interest, taxable loans). Provision of indirect local financial support for business (support for the organisation of conferences, fairs, business missions, dissemination of business information). Development of the infrastructure of the support for small and medium-sized business (business information centres, etc.). Drawing-up of programmes on the management of a harmonious quality and introduction of ecologically clean production in regional enterprises.
\nTo optimise functions of central State institutions responsible for the implementation of regional development policy.
\nImprovement of laws regulating sustainable regional development. Creation of institutions necessary for the administration of the EU support. Preparation of a training programme for the development of administrative capacity of institutions of the central level in the sphere of the EU integration (administration of the EU structural funds, project management, etc.).
\nExpansion of functions of the management of economic development (planning, implementation, co-ordination and control) in county administrations and local authorities.
\nDrawing up plans for the development of the regions. To create possibilities for implementing local and regional initiatives, receiving the support from the structural funds of the European Union.
\nTo increase the competence of human resources of the regions.
\nOrganisation of research into the market of labour resources. Projects of the development of business, human resources in the regions. Training programmes concerning the preparation and implementation of strategic plans and projects for the employees of local authorities and counties. Drawing up and implementing programmes on consulting and training of economic entities. Target programmes for professional training and boosting of employment. Co-operation projects of the regions, including the Baltic Sea Region. Ensuring of mutual co-operation between institutions and departments.
\nTo create information society through the development of information infrastructure of the region.
\nPromotion of creation of economic development centres: business incubators, parks of science and technologies, industrial zones. Development of information infrastructure in the regions. Expansion of the network of science and education institutions in regions. Creation and improvement of databases of indices characterising a region, encouragement of university studies in the regions. The programme of the use of modern information technologies for the improvement of business environment.
\nTo strengthen administration of national tourism and recreation. Optimisation of the system of tourism management. Co-ordination and interrelations of State institutions and the co-ordination of their activities with municipal institutions and associated structures of tourism business. Effective activities of the Tourism Council.
\nTo form an efficient legal and economic environment which promotes tourism development. Creation of a system of privileges and compensations relating to the restrictions of activities in protected territories and objects of cultural heritage, renders of tourist services. Support for investment projects of the tourism infrastructure, carried out in objects of immovable cultural heritage, primarily in estates of manors and ethnographic villages.
\nTo draw up complex programmes, tourism planning documents and projects. Preparation of the National Tourism Development Programme, its periodical renewal and implementation monitoring. Drawing up and implementing regional and municipal tourism development programmes and projects. Strengthening of the capacity to draw up international tourism projects. Preparation for the use of the EU structural funds for tourism development, primarily for the creation of a public tourism infrastructure.
\nTo actively create an image of Lithuania as an attractive tourism country. Preparation of a system of creation of an image of the State and its international tourism image, as well as appropriation of adequate financial resources for the implementation of such system. Establishment of Lithuania’s tourism information centres in the main tourism markets – Japan, Poland, Russia, Finland and Germany. Participation in international and regional tourism fairs. Creation and maintenance of a national tourism information system, supported by information technologies. Establishment of tourism information centres in all municipalities of the country, its integration into a common tourism information system. Participation in the work of the World Tourism Organisation, the European Tourism Commission, the Baltic Tourism Commission. Participation in international tourism development projects.
\nTo expand the diversity of the sector of accommodation, tourist services and entertainment at tourism centres and recreational areas. Development of the network of camping sites. Promotion of the development of the network of economy class hotels. Promotion of amusement and aqua parks. Development of the network of small piers. Development of systems of bicycle paths in resorts and big cities, creation of a network of national bicycle routes in Lithuania. Preparation of investment projects for leisure, entertainment and sports centres, and search for investors. Establishment of conference tourism centres.
\nTo revive and develop resort tourism in Palanga, Druskininkai, Birštonas, Neringa, Likėnai and other resort areas. Creation of necessary legal and economic preconditions which ensure a long-term development of resorts. Expedient use and protection of available natural curative resources which provide favourable conditions for the prospect of a long-term functioning of health resorts. Provision of efficient conditions for people to use recreational resources of the seacoast zone.
\nTo create an infrastructure of marine and internal waters tourism in Lithuania. Completion of construction of the piers for cruise liners in the State port of Klaipėda. Designing and construction of a terminal for passenger ferries, reconstruction of the port of Šventoji. Creation of a network of small ports and piers in the Curonian lagoon. Designing and construction of ports for marine yachts. Development of short-distance navigation routes from the State Seaport of Klaipėda to other ports. Creation of a water tourism route of the Nemunas.
\nTo promote the growth of internal tourism flows of tourism, more even distribution of the flows within the territory of the State. Creation and implementation of the system of tourism information road signs. Drawing-up and carrying-out of projects concerning the tourism infrastructure of principal main and national roads. Ensuring of activities of border points meeting the EU requirements for the movement of citizens. Active participation in international tourism projects (the Via Hanza, the Amber Road, the Rulers’ Road, etc.), as well as in the projects on roads of European culture.
\nTo ensure the creation and supervision of the public recreational infrastructure in the whole territory of the State. Roadside rest stations with sanitary hygiene facilities, lookout points, camping sites, beaches and swimming areas which meet the needs of local residents and tourists from the viewpoints of quality and quantity.
\nTo improve statistical accounting of the tourism sector, to promote scientific research in the field of tourism. Statistical research of domestic, inbound and outbound tourism. Introduction of the Accompanying accounts of tourism, permitting to assess the input of tourism into the national economy more accurately. Setting-up of a bank of Lithuania’s recreational resources. Territorial planning and scientific research works. Planning of the tourism of national and regional parks of Lithuania and the development of recreation.
\nTo improve training of tourism and recreation specialists. Research into the need in tourism and recreation specialists. Creation of a system of training of tourism and recreation business specialists of various levels. Continuous training and improvement of professional skills of the employees of counties, local authorities, educational institutions. Publication of monographs, textbooks, teaching aids on the issues of tourism and recreation, the support of internships.
\nFINAL CONCLUSIONS The present Long Term Development Strategy of the State shall lay down the guidelines for the economic, social, environmental protection and other policies of Lithuania until the year 2015. The Strategy is in line with the provisions and strategic goals set out in the Presidency Conclusions of the Lisbon European Council. Our goal is a stable and sustainable development. In future, the Long Term Development Strategy of the State will apparently undergo some revisions because in its present form it sets out only fundamental development guidelines for Lithuania during the period when it is about to become a full member of the European Union.
\nThis strategic document lists our major objectives – integration into the Schengen are, the European Economic and Monetary Union and the European social model; it also provides for creating preconditions for effective work at the European Union institutions order when dealing with the issues of the single market. This strategy makes it possible for Lithuania to safeguard and consolidate independence of the state, its distinct character in the multilingual and multicultural European Union. The Long Term Development Strategy of the State, which may be viewed as a body of decisions defining the long term key objectives for the development of the country and the key steps and measures the government has to take to reach these objectives, will always be target oriented. We live in a changing world, therefore the strategy will be revised in response to life challenges.
\nStrategic management of the country may be viewed as an on-going function of strategic analysis, formulation of strategy and its implementation performed by the state, providing for a timely adjustment to the changes, both positive and negative, of the domestic and external/international situation, further developing and making the best use of the country’s economic potential.
\nThe implementation of the Long Term Development Strategy of the State will call for a revision of the adopted strategies and programmes, taking account of the Presidency Conclusions of the Lisbon European Council, designing of new co-ordinated conceptions and programmes for the realisation of the new Strategy. These conceptions and programmes are an integral extension of the Strategy, supplementing it and assisting in its organisation and implementation. Each conception or a programme will be linked to the implementation of one or several strategic objectives; the entirety of the conceptions and programmes must ensure the implementation of the whole set of the strategic objectives. The programmes will further specify and detail the fundamental strategic objectives taking account of the character of one or another sector.
\nThe economic basis for the Strategy will be provided by financial resources and the system of distribution of the financial resources controlled by the state. The course of the implementation of the strategy will be monitored and controlled. Under the new strategy, the structure of state administration will have to be reformed. This will determine the contents of the implementation of the strategy, its organisational forms and methods.