2026-09-09
The National Audit Office has published its autumn 2026 report on the implementation of recommendations, which reviews what has changed over the past six months following the implementation of audit recommendations and what significant changes have yet to be achieved. An innovation is also being introduced – the interactive tool “Public Sector Overview”, which will allow the public to monitor the changes taking place in Lithuania and identify areas where risks arise, based on data collected and continuously updated by the National Audit Office.
Over the past six months, 20 recommendations that have brought tangible benefits to the public have been implemented, with particularly significant changes in the areas of social protection, higher education and justice. The priorities for the coming six months are to strengthen the state’s resilience: to improve the management of reserves, to strengthen the fire service and fire prevention measures, and to take decisions on the continuation of the offshore wind farm project. However, there are delays in implementing the 93 recommendations made in the National Audit Office’s audits.
“Every recommendation implemented represents a problem solved and an improvement in people’s lives. However, we must state openly: decisions that are delayed by an average of 19 months are not merely statistics. They represent unmet national objectives and unrealised potential. We cannot simply blame protracted legislative or IT processes when discussing the resilience of the state and the well-being of its citizens. Every delay increases the risks to the state and its people,” says Auditor General Irena Segalovičienė.
Implemented audit recommendations translate into real changes for the public
Over the past six months, the most significant changes have been achieved in the area of social protection. By strengthening support for families and creating better conditions for children left without parental care, the proportion of children in family-based care rose to 82.8 percent in 2025 (77 percent in 2021). More importantly, the proportion of children over the age of 10 with disabilities or health problems being cared for in families rose from 67.8 percent (in 2021) to 72 percent (in 2025).
Support for victims of domestic violence has also become more accessible – 82 percent of individuals reported to the police received specialised, comprehensive support (in 2022, this figure stood at just 22 percent), while the proportion of victims receiving support from a lawyer and a psychologist through direct contact has increased several-fold.
Positive changes have also been recorded in other areas: by tightening admission criteria to higher education institutions, the quality of studies has been improved; the management of public-private partnership projects has been strengthened; and the activities of the Prosecutor General’s Office have been refocused on conducting pre-trial investigations more swiftly.
Decisions affecting public safety and health are being delayed
As of this autumn, 93 recommendations remained unimplemented, of which 34 (37 percent) are of high importance. Data from the report prepared by the National Audit Office shows that these delays cover a wide range of areas, including vital decisions concerning the security of the state and its citizens.
The same challenges continue to be observed in the field of fire safety: in 2025, only 25 percent of the State Fire and Rescue Service’s on-duty firefighter shifts met the requirements (19 percent in 2020), while the number of fires at inspected premises did not decrease – 188 fires occurred there in 2020 and 189 in 2025.
In the health sector, the proportion of decisions on applications for reimbursement of medicines taken on time rose from 8 percent in 2023 to 28per cent in 2026, but nearly three-quarters of decisions on adding medicines to the reimbursement lists were still delayed by more than half a year (ranging from 184 to 616 days), thereby preventing patients from receiving the necessary treatment more quickly.
Furthermore, the prevention of cybercrime is still not adequately ensured – there is a lack of inter-agency planning, coordination and impact assessment in this area. Alongside these problems, other challenges remain, such as the country’s forest cover target not having been met and delays in decisions regarding the levels of bailiffs’ fees.
Decisions are needed to ensure long-term resilience
In order to enhance national security and financial and energy resilience, consistent strategic planning and a clear definition of responsibilities are required. When drawing up the National Progress Plan for 2028–2034, the progress sought must be aligned with the state’s financial capabilities. One of the key priorities for the coming six months is to ensure that the accumulation and use of state reserves are based on clear principles: it must be determined what level of reserves is sufficient, which risks they are intended to mitigate, and how they should be built up in the long term.
Important decisions are also expected in the energy sector. Management of the first offshore wind farm has already been handed over to the project company; an analysis of the project’s internal and external factors has been carried out; possible scenarios for the project’s implementation have been outlined; and final, data-driven decisions on its continuation are expected to be taken by the end of the year.
A new tool for monitoring changes and risks in the public sector has been developed
In pursuit of even greater transparency and the expansion of analytical capabilities, the National Audit Office is presenting a new interactive open-data tool to the public – “Public Sector Overview”. This tool enables users to view the latest information in one place – to monitor how audit recommendations are being implemented, what significant changes have already been achieved, and what actions institutions still need to take to achieve significant changes; monitor progress towards the objectives of the National Progress Plan and the associated risks; and familiarise themselves with the risks monitored by the National Audit Office and the work planned or currently being carried out.
The National Audit Office monitors the implementation of recommendations on an ongoing basis and actively cooperates with the audited entities following an audit. Up-to-date information on the status of recommendation implementation is published on the National Audit Office’s website: Open Data | National Audit Office of the Republic of Lithuania. A report on the status of implementation of the most important recommendations is submitted to the Seimas and published twice a year – in March and September.