Cultural heritage of Lithuania is not properly protected
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Although preservation of cultural heritage in Lithuania is a concern of more than one institution, no substantial positive changes preserving immovable cultural heritage are visible. Such an opinion was reached by the National Audit Office auditors who had assessed the effectiveness of the protection of cultural heritage in Lithuania. Currently 16.233 immovable cultural heritage objects are added to Register of Cultural Heritage, and 6.030 are given the status of the State protected objects. In 2007-2009, over LTL 314 million from municipal budgets were allocated to the preservation of protected heritage. |
The Auditor General Rasa Budbergytë says that if the Ministry of Culture would
give a precise and clear definition of what objects, why and how the State
should protect, as well as what criteria attributes them to the State protection,
it would solve majority of the problems. “Without the definition of the Ministry
of Culture as to what, how and why should be protected and without its control,
it is difficult to expect that immovable cultural heritage of Lithuania will be
properly protected and the funds allocated to that end would be used rationally,“
adds the Auditor General.
Having conducted the audit public auditors stated that the Ministry of Culture
had opted out of majority of functions assigned to it in the area of protection
of cultural heritage. Some functions of the Ministry are performed by the
National Cultural Heritage Commission; however, it should submit proposals to
the Ministry instead of itself forming the policy for protection of cultural
heritage. The Ministry does not exercise a proper control of activities of the
Department of Cultural Heritage, responsible for maintenance and management of
cultural heritage.
According to public auditors, Lithuania is not financially capable to preserve
all of 6.030 objects currently declared as protected. Maintaining similar rate
of financing and managing, the State would handle all the protected objects in
80 years time, during which some of heritage objects would decline. The National
Audit Office recommends to establish criteria and divide all the cultural
heritage by their importance thus allocating the financing to preservation of
the main heritage objects.
The National Audit Office issued recommendations to the Ministry of Culture, the
National Cultural Heritage Commission and the Department of Cultural Heritage on
what decisions would help to ensure more effective protection and maintenance of
Lithuania‘s immovable cultural heritage.
Public audit report is available in Lithuanian:
Preservation of Cultural Heritage