2025-09-04
Implementation of every fifth recommendation of the National Audit Office is delayed, half of them for more than two years. This means that in some important areas, problems remain unresolved for that length of time. Auditor General Irena Segalovičienė points out that implementation of the recommendations is mostly hampered by protracted public procurement procedures in IT projects, the turnover and shortage of specialists, and the lengthy process of drafting legal acts. In order to accelerate change in the public sector, the National Audit Office is strengthening the monitoring of recommendations and actively cooperating with audited entities.
"We see that the recommendations are being implemented more responsibly, but the authorities are still taking too little responsibility for faster progress in the country. Some of the recommendations that require systemic changes remain on the shelf. Nevertheless, there have been some positive changes. Recommendations that respond to the interests of socially vulnerable people have been implemented in a timely manner. Employment among people with disabilities has improved, and registered unemployed people have taken up more jobs. Also, more children from socially at-risk families have received compulsory pre-school education," says the Auditor General.
The report on the implementation of the recommendations shows that 66 pre-school education institutions have been renovated. In addition, 2,325 new and 1,808 renovated pre-school and pre-primary education places were created, and 1,420 sets of equipment were purchased to modernize teachers' workplaces. In 2019, there were 122 children growing up in socially disadvantaged families who were assigned to compulsory pre-school education. Of these, only 66 children were educated that year. In 2025, a significant change took place – 793 such children received compulsory pre-school education. This represents about half of the children who should receive compulsory pre-primary education. The number reached this year exceeded the target by almost 300 children. This is due to changes in the law and increased municipal funding.
"When the state invests in preschool education, it invests in educated citizens who will be able to make the right decisions for their own well-being and that of the country in the future. After all, education, especially from an early age, is extremely important for developing critical thinking. In addition, preschool education helps to reduce social exclusion. The earlier children start their education, the better they learn later on. This helps them to build a better life for themselves in the future," says Ms. Segalovičienė.
The report on the implementation of the recommendations shows that decisions on the safe decommissioning of the power plant and possible additional sources of funding should have been taken by the end of 2024. These are necessary to ensure that radioactive waste is safely managed, does not pose a threat to the environment and people, and does not create an additional financial burden for Lithuania in the future.
The National Audit Office points out that steps must be taken by the end of this year to strengthen the role of the Regional Development Programme manager. The programme is coordinated by the Ministry of the Interior, but it lacks leadership in regional development. Coordination is inconsistent and programme participants operate separately. Strengthening the role of the manager would make programme management more consistent, institutions would cooperate more closely, and responsibilities would be more clearly distributed. This would help people in the regions to benefit more from public investment, which would be allocated in a more targeted and effective manner.
The National Audit Office conducts audits, provides recommendations to institutions, and monitors their implementation. A report on the implementation status of the most important recommendations is submitted to the Seimas twice a year. Information on the implementation of all audit recommendations is available to the public on the National Audit Office website here.
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