Update January 2000: Lithuania

1. Lithuania Government Program

The 3rd November 1999, Mr. Andrius KUBILIUS, vice-chairman of Lithuania Seimas (Parliament), was accepted as Prime - Minister. Mr.Valentinas MILAKNIS, president of leading IT company Alna, was confirmed as head of the powerful Ministry of Economy. In November 1999 Prime Minister office developed and announced updated Lithuanian Government Program for 1999-2000.

For the first time, the establishment of an infrastructure for Information Society and computerisation of Lithuania schools were declared as state priorities. Other trends of Government activities important to IS development are:

• further restructuring of the economy, modernisation, privatisation and integration into the Europe Union (transport sector, banks, power and gas supply sector, selling the last 35% state shares in Lithuania Telekomas);
• legal reforms in compliance with EU norms;
• destroying bureaucratic barriers for investments, promotion of business.

More information can be found at http://www.lrvk.lt

2. Conferences, meetings and seminars

The main event of the year 1999, dedicated to Information Society, was the 1st International Conference INFORMATION SOCIETY'99. This international conference was launched by the association INFOBALT (http://www.infobalt.lt), under support of Lithuania Seimas and Government and took place October 25-26 in Vilnius, hotel Villon. The goals of the Conference (extract from Mr. R. Tamulevicius, Chairman of Organising Committee report) were:

• To draw attention to Lithuanian problems.
• To gather people (including politicians) who are concerned about issues surrounding Information Society development.
• To explain clearly the perils and benefits of the Information Society to the general public.
• To disseminate a conception of the Information Society. To show that the conception of the Information Society is not just technological.
• To display the vital importance of Information Technologies, Telecommunications and mass media forming the Information Society.
• To show the urgency of education and training.
• To display how a lack or slackness of an Information Society policy increases the social property differentiation.
• To display how the development of the Information Society strengthens democracy and pluralism, make clear governmental activities, help to gather, control and monitor the budget.
• To learn the opinion of European experts about us.

The Conference was very successful and, according to experts, achieved its expected goals. The Chairman of Seimas, Government and President office representatives, leaders of all main political parties, quests from EU, specialists and businessmen participated in the Conference discussions.

The event was widely presented in all newspapers, radio and TV broadcasts.

During the Conference the Memorandum for support of IS and IT development between Lithuanian Parliament Parties and the Association Infobalt was signed.

The main idea of the memorandum is to consolidate political parties on the strategic development of IS, to realise permanent political support independent from changes in Lithuania Seimas and the Government. The Memorandum declared the necessity:

• to confirm development of IS as state priority and strategic task;
• to co-ordinate at the top level the development of an infrastructure for strategic information systems in the state administration area;
• to destroy barriers for the development of IS projects related to a few ministries, to change financing rules for such projects, seeking effective use of resources;
• to draw special attention for education and science, for teaching young people to live and work in IS;
• to implement new advanced technologies and applications in all state and business areas, to develop infrastructure in e-commerce;
• to draw more attention for live-long education, development of new services in public administration, health and social care, teleworking, telemedicine and other sectors;
• to promote of Lithuania integration in the world information community, support international collaboration, participate in Europe and international programs and initiatives related to IS.

The Memorandum signed up the leaders of 5 largest Lithuanian parties and the President of the Infobalt Association. Memorandum is free for new parties and associations. Currently the Lithuanian Computer Society, Lithuanian Association of Telecommunication and Electronics, Lithuanian Radio and TV Association, International Advertisement Association have joined the Memorandum.

October 26-29, after conference INFORMATION SOCIETY'99, the largest IT&T trade fair in the Baltic States INFOBALT'99 took place in Vilnius. The fifth year INFOBALT'99 introduced the most recent IT, Lithuanian information technologies and telecommunications market as well as the intellectual potential of Lithuanian and foreign partners.

The IS status in Lithuania and development problems were discussed at special Session of Lithuania Academy of Science, which took place 9 November in Kaunas. The Lithuanian scientists and experts, Government and President office representatives participate the session.

The speakers noted Lithuania lagging behind Latvia and Estonia in IS development and IT applications areas, lack of IS infrastructure in Lithuanian schools and science institutions. The session recommended:

1. To adopt programs for:

• Information Society in Lithuania,
• Lithuanian language Program for years 2000-2006.

2. To announce state priorities in:

• development of IS infrastructure for schools, universities, research institutes;
• development of open and integral State Administration Information System;
• development of state information resources (registers, databases);
• development of health and social care integral Information Systems.

The Session invites members of Academies, scientists, teachers, specialists and businessmen to take an active part in the development of IS in Lithuania

The Department of Information and Informatics (Ministry of Public Administration Reforms and Local Authorities) held a number of one-day Seminars-meetings in the main regional cities. The members of regional administrations and local specialists were participants at these meetings. The problems of developing IS in regions and the implementation of state administrative reforms were discussed during those meetings.

3. On-going developments

The Information Society Program (updated with the co-ordination of the Department of Information and Informatics) was adopted by the Lithuanian high level (inter-ministerial) State Information Policy Development Advisory Commission at the vice ministers level. The Commission recommended to prepare detailed implementation plans and present the Program for adoption to the Government.

The first events in year 2000, related to the Information Society, will take place in Kaunas University of Technology (http://www.ktu.lt). 2-3 February the Conference Information Technologies'2000 and 4 February - the annual Conference Lithuania Science and Industry.