Picture: Prosecutor General’s Office in Vilnius, Bokstaz / Shutterstock
The Twinning project “Strengthening the National Capacities of the Lithuanian Prosecution” was an essential contribution to strengthening the efficiency of the Lithuanian Prosecution during the country’s early phase as a new EU Member State.
The project was implemented in collaboration with the German Foundation for International Legal Cooperation (IRZ), and was divided into four main areas of work:
- Further implementation of the new legal framework;
- Strengthening the administrative and management systems within the Prosecutor’s Office;
- Reinforcement of the prosecutors’ training system;
- IT support.
In the context of the Twinning project, 23 activities were carried out, including several expert missions, three study visits to Germany and Austria, various training sessions and lectures, as well as one additional coordinating meeting.
The Twinning experts recognised Lithuania's legal framework as very modern and in line with EU standards. Nonetheless, they offered recommendations for further improvements in questions such as the power to start investigations, complaints against procedural decisions, and the system of penalties. They also advised on the restructuring of the Prosecutor's Office, which previously had many small offices across the country.
A significant achievement of the project was establishing a comprehensive prosecutor training system in Lithuania, bridging a gap which existed previously. The experts worked closely with the beneficiary to create training regulations and programmes. They also analysed the existing IT infrastructure and provided assistance in developing a prosecution database and office network.
Overall, the project played a crucial role in enhancing the quality and efficiency of the Lithuanian Prosecution and the underlying legal framework.
Project title: Strengthening the National Capacities of the Lithuanian Prosecution
Project ID: LT03 IB JH 01, 2004-2006