Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda proposes to establish a ministry that would be responsible for regional policymaking, increasing the autonomy of regional councils and local governments, and coordinating between ministries at the national level.
“It makes sense for us to consider the idea of a ministry the main objective of which would be the formulation of national regional policy, the increase of the autonomy of regional councils and local governments, and what is particularly important, the coordination at the national level between the ministries,” Nausėda said at the sixth Forum of Regions held at the Presidential Palace on Wednesday.
“The Regions Ministry could not only take over functions from the Interior Ministry, as well as from other ministries, but also ensure that national policy is better aligned with the objectives of regional policy and the expectations of local people. Such a ministry would ultimately become the axis of a horizontal regional policy, helping us all to find the solutions that the people of Lithuania need,” he added.
According to the president, only a small team within the Interior Ministry is currently responsible for the implementation of regional policy.
“This is not a problem of the ministry. It is a problem for all of us that for a long time, we have not devoted enough attention and resources to such an important policy area,” Nausėda said.
According to him, there is a need to create a smarter and more effective national regional policy because when individual ministries undertake reforms in their area of responsibility, they often do not take into account the needs of specific communities, villages, towns, cities, and municipalities.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
