CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN REGIONAL MANAGEMENT

Abstract

Citizen participation topic became actual in various European Union (EU) projects since 6-7th decade of the XX century, when in many countries it had been started to transfer authority power from centre to regional and local government authorities with intention to make closer decision-making and implementation to the people. It is considered that decentralization can assure management, which would be more public, participatory, cooperative with community, reactive and accountable. Regional level is very suitable for promotion of citizen participation ideas, because regional and local management is closest to the people. Therefore EU regional policy is inseparable from enhancement and development of democracy, in order to achieve social welfare of population, economy strengthening and to reduce the differences between the EU regions.
Nowadays tendencies in public administration indicate that a good management is defi nable by categories of wider citizen participation, pluralism, subsidiarity, transparency, accountability, accessibility, cooperation and effi ciency. “Old democracy” states try to consolidate values of democracy and at the same time to adjust effective methods of new public management, new public administration or new civil service into the management of public organisations. The main scientifi c problem in respect of looking for effective management model is to fi nd a suitable form, how to apply effective management principles from private organisations in the management of public organisations and to secure democratic principles at once. The success and effectiveness of new management systems much depends on the legal basis and the specifi c management and administration traditions of concrete state.
The aim of this article is to evaluate the opportunities of citizen participation in regional management, considering the EU guidelines in respect of regional policy. The article analyses citizen participation tendencies in management of public organizations, EU position with regard to regional policy and citizen participation and the regional self-government possibilities in Lithuania. The results of research show that citizen participation is really actual theme in nowadays management systems where the importance to achieve balance between democratic management principles and more effective administration is increasing. EU regional policy is based on subsidiarity principle, which underlines understanding to closer ties of decisions to the society. EU supports democratization of regional development, specifi cally stressing conveyance and transparency. Citizen participation opportunities are limited in management of Lithuanian regions, because of lack of legal basis, which could establish the principles of self-government and the forms how citizens could be involved into management process. In consideration of public management decentralisation tendencies, it is important to discuss and assure the real modes how citizen would be able to impact the development processes and to increase the accessibility and effectiveness of public services.