Image of the state developed without clear guidelines

Development of Lithuania's image is unreasonable, and funds allocated to that end are often used inefficiently, found the audit report published by the NAO. Auditor General Rasa Budbergytė pointed out that a large share of LTL 63m in the last four years spent by public institutions to measures supposedly forming the State image did not bring the expected result.

"There is a threat that Lithuania may miss its chance to improve its lagging position compared to neighbouring countries who, started to form their image earlier, and lose a regional competitive struggle in areas of investment attraction, promotion of tourism and export," said the Auditor General.


Public audit report gives assessments of measures for image development. In the opinion of the auditors, LTL 800.000 were used inefficiently and ineffectively for the drawing up of Lithuania's Image Development Strategy. In 2006 it was developed by consortium consisting of public entity "Europos namai", opinion research center "Vilmorus", and strategic communication company "Chime Communications plc." from the Great Britain. The Government has not yet approved the Strategy, since it did not corform to the Strategic Planning Methodology of the Government.

The audit report noted that without the approved Lithuania's Image Development Strategy institutions organized separate tenders for separate image development elements. For example, the Government Office organized strategic marketing concept presenting Lithuania in the world: "Brave Lithuania". Team of natural persons, which developed this concept, was paid LTL 60.000. The NAO found that the authors of the concept did not size up financial and other possibilities of Lithuania, as well as the reality of projects realization. LTL 1.14m was used to finance tender for the brand of Lithuania and other works. The brand is not officially approved nationally, and is only used by several public institutions on their websites.

In the opinion of the NAO, funds used for the acquisition of the brand of Lithuania and other services did not bear the expected fruit; there are no data about the awareness of the brand abroad and readiness to use it in our country.

The NAO recommended to stop allocation of the Budget funds to isolated Lithuania's image development measures until formulation of directions and aims of Lithuania's image development; definition of priorities and approval of the Strategy and coordination model for the development of Lithuania's image.


Full report is available in Lithuanian:
Development of Lithuania's Image