Activities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in organizing provision of consular services

„The Ministry of Foreign Affairs have still unused possibilities to organise provision of consular services more efficiently“, – said the Auditor General Ms Rasa Budbergytė when summarising outcomes of the public audit “Activities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in organizing provision of consular services”. In her opinion it is very important now when immigration is increasing and efforts are being made to encourage foreign tourism to Lithuania, the funding for consular services however being decreased.

Lithuanian diplomatic missions issued nearly 250 thousand visas in 2008, processed documentation concerning passport issue and residency permits in Lithuania, issued certificates of repatriation, provided notary services, carried out  other  consular services. In total more than 37 million Litas consular fee were collected in 2008.

Having analysed training system for consular officers public auditors stated that funds allocated for this purpose were used economically. However they indicated that training programmes for those departing to render consular services in diplomatic missions do not devote sufficient time for formation of practical skills. Examination showed that this resulted in quite a number of inaccuracies and technical mistakes. Not all of the first rotation diplomats working in diplomatic missions and consular agencies have required proficiency in two foreign languages. Auditors denoted that language skills levels in job descriptions of some diplomats were lower that it is required when recruiting staff for diplomatic service.

When evaluating consular officers work load auditors established that one consular officer in Lithuanian missions in Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan issues 20 thousand visas per year meaning that the work load level established in the EU member states methodological guidance is exceeded four times. Auditors maintain that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have possibilities to distribute the work load among diplomatic missions staff performing consular services more evenly.

Auditors denoted that working conditions for staff and clients in some of the diplomatic missions are not good enough.

Nearly 100 diplomatic service staff provide services for simplified transit of Russian citizens by train through the territory of Lithuania to and from Kaliningrad enclave. In the case of higher passenger stream additional staff from the Ministry are brought in. Auditors established that there are violations in observing legal requirements in work organisation of additional Ministry staff that are brought in irregularly to issue documents for simplified transit by train, also there are violations in observing Labour Code requirements when keeping their working time records.

The National Audit Office in its recommendations for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs propose to improve consular staff training programmes, to devote more attention to formation of practical skills, to set unanimous requirements for evaluation of foreign language proficiency, to improve other areas of consular work organisation.