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Administrative Silence in Lithuania: Case Law and Data from the Administrative Oversight Institutions

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The Sound of Silence in European Administrative Law

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Abstract

Administrative silence is a phenomenon which contemporary legal systems based on the rule of law, good governance and respect for human rights can no longer afford themselves to ignore. Even if no panacea to this pernicious practice can be found, by uncovering the scope and identifying the reasons for its manifestations in various fields of public administration, plausible solutions can be developed at the legislative as well as at the managerial level. This report thus seeks to do that by analyzing the significance and conceptualization of (the notion) of administrative silence within the strategic and legal framework of Lithuania, its constitutional links, different models thereof, theoretical considerations and—finally—its actual use in practice. The latter part entails delving into data and insights provided by relevant actors vested with powers to eradicate administrative silence, and examining the case law developed by Lithuanian administrative courts.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    M. S. Pang, G. Lee, and W. H. DeLone, “IT Resources, Organizational Capabilities, and Value Creation in Public-Sector Organizations: A Public-Value Management Perspective,” Journal of Information Technology, 29/3 (2014), pp. 187–205.

  2. 2.

    Cf., e.g., H. Mosley, “Accountability in Decentralised Employment Service Regimes,” OECD Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED) Working Papers, 10 (2012), OECD Publishing, Paris, accessible at https://doi.org/10.1787/5k98sbxn9wbw-en.

  3. 3.

    The Long-Term Development Strategy of the Republic of Lithuania approved by Resolution No. IX-1187 of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania of 12 November 2002, accessible at https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalActPrint/lt?jfwid=q8i88md94&documentId=TAIS.219184&category=TAD.

  4. 4.

    Lithuania’s Progress Strategy “Lithuania 2030” approved by Resolution No. XI-2015 of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania of 15 May 2012, accessible at https://lrv.lt/uploads/main/documents/files/EN_version/Useful_information/lithuania2030.pdf.

  5. 5.

    The National Progress Programme for Lithuania for the period 2014–2020 approved by Resolution No. 14822 of the Lithuanian Government of 28 November 2012, accessible at https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/TAIS.439028.

  6. 6.

    Improvement Programme on Public Governance for 2012–2020 approved by Resolution No. 171 of the Lithuanian Government of 7 February 2012, accessible at https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/TAIS.418407/VYOiBLpIpF.

  7. 7.

    J. B. Auby (ed.), Codification of Administrative Procedure (Bruylant: 2014), p. 1.

  8. 8.

    See for a call to adopt a “modern” Code of Administrative Procedure in J. Paužaitė-Kulvinskienė, “The Principle of Effective Legal Remedies in Administrative Law (Right to Access to Administrative Court) of Lithuania Under the Influence of the European Legal Order,” in Lithuanian Legal System Under the Influence of European Union Law (Vilnius University: 2014), p. 425. Such a legislative gap on the national level is even more glaring considering “supranational tendencies” pointing toward the development of such a code (e.g., the ReNEUAL project in the EU), see more in I. Deviatnikovaitė, “Europos administracinės teisės samprata ir ES administracinių procedūrų rinkinio rengimo prielaidos [The Concept of European Administrative Law and the Background of the Development of the Law on Administrative Procedure of the European Union],” Jurisprudencija, 20 (3) (2013), pp. 1005–1022. See further V. Valančius and S. Kavalnė, Europos Sąjungos teisės įgyvendinimas Lietuvos administracinėje teisėje [The Implementation of EU Law in Lithuanian Administrative Law] (VĮ Registrų centras: 2009), pp. 101–113.

  9. 9.

    Law on Public Administration of the Republic of Lithuania of 17 June 1999 No. VIII-1234 (new edition No. X-736, 27 June 2006), Valstybės žinios [Official Gazette], No. 60-1945, 1999.

  10. 10.

    Law on Administrative Proceedings of the Republic of Lithuania of 14 January 1999 No. VIII-1029 (new edition No. XII-2399, 2 June 2016), Valstybės žinios [Official Gazette], No. 13-308, 1999.

  11. 11.

    Rules for Examination of Requests of Persons and for their Servicing at Public Administration Authorities, Institutions and Other Entities of Public Administration of 22 August 2007 approved by Resolution No. 875 of the Lithuanian Government (new edition No. 933, 15 November 2017), Valstybės žinios [Official Gazette], No. 94-37791, 2007.

  12. 12.

    Law on Electricity of the Republic of Lithuania of 20 July 2000 No. VIII-1881 (new edition No. XI-1919, 17 January 2012), Valstybės žinios [Official Gazette], No. 66-1984, 2000.

  13. 13.

    Law on Natural Gas of the Republic of Lithuania of 10 October 2000, No. VIII-1973 (new edition No. XI-1564, 30 June 2011), Valstybės žinios [Official Gazette], No. 89-2743, 2000.

  14. 14.

    Law on the Control of Arms and Ammunition of the Republic of Lithuania of 15 January 2002, No. IX-705, 15 January 2002 (new edition No. XI-1146, 18 November 2010), Valstybės žinios [Official Gazette], No. 13-467, 2002.

  15. 15.

    Law on Procedure of Pre-trial Administrative Disputes of 14 January 1999, No. VIII-1031 (new edition No. XII-2400, 2 June 2016), Valstybės žinios [Official Gazette], No. 13-310, 1999.

  16. 16.

    L. Paškevičienė, “Išankstinio administracinių ginčų nagrinėjimo ne teisme institutas Lietuvoje: bendrosios normatyvinės charakteristikos [Pre-Trial Settlement of Administrative Disputes in Lithuania: General Legal Characteristics],” Teisė (2018), pp. 70–83.

  17. 17.

    A. Normantas and M. Vasiliauskas, “Ombudsmenai kaip konstitucinio valdžios įstaigų tarnystės žmonėms imperatyvo sergėtojai [Ombudsmen as Guardians of Constitutional Principle that State Institutions should Serve the People],” in Administraciniai teismai Lietuvoje. Nūdienos iššūkiai [Administrative Courts in Lithuania. Current Challenges] (Lietuvos vyriausiasis administracinis teismas, Vilnius: 2010), pp. 487–509.

  18. 18.

    Law on the Seimas Ombudsmen of the Republic of Lithuania of 3 December 1998, No. VIII-950 (new edition No. IX-2544, 4 November 2004), Valstybės žinios [Official Gazette], No. 110-3024, 1998.

  19. 19.

    See, e.g., decisions of SACL, No. A7-915/2004, 21 December 2004; No. A14-261/2007, 13 March 2007, etc.

  20. 20.

    See decision of SACL, No. eAS-939-756/2017, 8 November 2017.

  21. 21.

    As it happened in the case of Nekvedavičius v Lithuania (1471/05) 17 November 2015 ECtHR, see more in A. Andrijauskaitė, “Good Governance in the Case Law of the ECtHR: A (Patch) Work in Progress,” ICON-S Conference Paper (2018), preprint accessible at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328354943_Good_Governance_in_the_Case_Law_of_the_ECtHR_A_PatchWork_in_Progress.

  22. 22.

    See decision of Vilnius Regional Administrative Court, No. eI-3149-473/2018, 2 August 2018.

  23. 23.

    See, e.g., decision of SACL, No. A173-438-2016, 18 February 2016.

  24. 24.

    See decision of SACL, No. A8–406/2003, 23 June 2003.

  25. 25.

    See decision of SACL, No. AS11–296/2007, 11 October 2007.

  26. 26.

    See, e.g., decision of SACL, No. A602-570/2014, 10 September 2014.

  27. 27.

    According to the interviewees representing the Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania, a total of about 20,000 cases were investigated by the Supreme Administrative Court in the period 2014–2018, of which about 1500 were due to delay (inactivity), so the percentage varies between 5 and 7.5% depending on the year. It is not possible to say in how many decisions a clear breach of “administrative silence” was found because very often the appeal was satisfied on other grounds.

  28. 28.

    On the basis of data provided by the Institution of Ombudsman, the statistics on delay (inactivity) are: 2014–40 complaints (2% of all received), 2015–71 complaints (4% of the total), 2016–62 complaints (4% of the total), 2017–84 complaints (5% of all received), and 2018–96 complaints (5% of all received).

  29. 29.

    Information taken from The Annual Reports on the Activities of the Seimas Ombudsmen’s Office of the Republic of Lithuania (2013–2017). No more detailed statistics are collected.

  30. 30.

    Information taken from The Annual Reports on the Activities of the Seimas Ombudsmen’s Office of the Republic of Lithuania (2013–2017).

  31. 31.

    See Statement of Seimas Ombudsman of the Republic of Lithuania, No. 4D-2016/1-780, 10 February 2017, par. 17 and 18.

  32. 32.

    For example, in Lithuania, such “internal silence” is regulated in some legal acts, as Government work regulations (1994). It is presumed that, if no observations have been submitted within the prescribed time limit, there are no observations.

  33. 33.

    See decision of SACL, No. A-525-2648/2013, 11 December 2013.

  34. 34.

    See decision of SACL, No. A-602-1189/2013, 8 October 2013.

  35. 35.

    See, e.g., decision of SACL, No. AS-602-285-12, 11 May 2012.

  36. 36.

    See, e.g., decision of SACL, No. AS-400-502/2018, 19 June 2018.

  37. 37.

    See decision of SACL, No. A-1494-502/2018, 29 October 2018.

  38. 38.

    See decision of SACL, No. A8-885-06, 13 April 2006.

  39. 39.

    See decision of SACL, No. AS-602-82/2012, 13 January 2012.

  40. 40.

    See decision of SACL, No. A-2251-756/2015, 10 December 2015.

  41. 41.

    See, e.g., SACL, No. A-858-266/204, 15 May 2014.

  42. 42.

    See decision of SACL, No. A-1494-502/2018, 29 October 2018.

  43. 43.

    See decision of SACL, No. A-525-2648/2013, 11 December 2013.

  44. 44.

    See decisions of SACL, No. A-143-2834/2013, 23 December 2013; No. A-525-1745/2014, 23 December 2014; No. A146-1273/2014, 18 August 2014; No. A143-18/2014, 14 January 2014; No. A289-525/2015, 4 February 2015; No. A91-822/2015, 4 February 2015.

  45. 45.

    See decision of SACL, No. A-1348-858/2016, 9 January 2017.

  46. 46.

    A. Stasiukynas et al., “Public Sector Reforms in Lithuania Since 1990,” in M. Bileišis and P. Kovač (Eds.), Public Administration Reforms in Eastern European Union Member States: Post-accession Convergence and Divergence (Vilnius and Ljubljana: Mykolas Romeris University and University of Ljubljana: 2017), pp. 54–90.

  47. 47.

    See footnote 16.

  48. 48.

    Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Lithuania (2018) Numatoma modernizuoti greičio matavimo prietaisais fiksuojamų nusižengimų administravimą [Modernization of Administration of Fines for Broken Rules Registered by Speed Cameras]. Press release, Vilnius.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania, Vilnius, Lithuania

    Vidmantė Giedraitytė & Mantas Bileišis

  2. Kaunas University of Technology, Kaunas, Lithuania

    Vidmantė Giedraitytė

  3. Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania

    Agnė Andrijauskaitė

  4. German University of Administrative Sciences Speyer, Speyer, Germany

    Agnė Andrijauskaitė

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  1. Vidmantė Giedraitytė
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  2. Agnė Andrijauskaitė
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  3. Mantas Bileišis
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Correspondence to Vidmantė Giedraitytė .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Good Governance Studies, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

    Dacian C. Dragos

  2. Faculty of Public Administration, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Polonca Kovač

  3. Faculty of Law, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Hanna D. Tolsma

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Giedraitytė, V., Andrijauskaitė, A., Bileišis, M. (2020). Administrative Silence in Lithuania: Case Law and Data from the Administrative Oversight Institutions. In: Dragos, D., Kovač, P., Tolsma, H. (eds) The Sound of Silence in European Administrative Law. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45227-8_15

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