LOCAL AND REGIONAL STRUCTURES IN LITHUANIA
Lithuania is a unitary state composed of municipalities and counties.
Local level: 60 municipalities (savivaldybe)
Local authorities
The municipal council (savivaldybes taryba) is elected by the universal direct suffrage for a four-year term. It is the legislative and decision-making body; it adopts the budget, and may establish lower territorial units (wards/seniunija).
The director of administration (administracijos direktorius) is in charge of the executive tasks. The director is nominated by the municipal council and is directly and personally responsible for the implementation of laws, and government and municipal council decisions in the municipality.
The mayor (meras) is elected by the municipal council from its members. He/she is the head of the municipality and chairs the meetings of the municipal council.
Competences
. Education (pre-school, primary and secondary)
. Culture
. Sport
. Tourism
. Environment protection, environmental and public sanitation
. Labour market measures and entrepreneurship promotion
. Primary health care
. Public services and municipal property management
. Spatial planning
Regional level: 10 counties (apskritis)
The counties represent state authority at the regional level.
Regional authorities
The regional development council (regiono pletros taryba) sets out development policies' guidelines, and consults the central government on regional development issues. It is composed of the representatives of county's municipalities and the county governor.
The county governor (apskrities virsininkas) is nominated by the government with the task of executing central government's functions at the local level.
Competences
. Implementation of state policies at the regional level
. Setting out general development guidelines
