REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA
LAW
ON
THE TERRITORIAL ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS
OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA
AND THEIR BOUNDARIES
Chapter 1
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Article 1. Territorial Administrative Units of the
Republic of Lithuania and Residential Areas
The territory of the Republic of Lithuania is divided into
administrative units, which consist of residential areas. The
territorial administrative unit of the Republic of Lithuania is a
part of the territory, the govAerning thereof is organised by the
Government of the Republic of Lithuania or the institutions of
local authorities.
The territorial administrative unit has its boundaries,
centre and name.
The territorial administrative units of the Republic of
Lithuania are the counties and the municipalities.
The residential areas of the Republic of Lithuania are
divided into urban and rural residential areas. Towns shall be
attributed to urban residential areas and small towns and
villages shall be attributed to rural residential areas.
Article 2. The Concept of the Territorial
Administrative Unit of the Republic of
Lithuania
The municipality is a territorial administrative unit of the
Republic of Lithuania, which is governed by institutions of local
authorities, elected by the local community pursuant to the Law
on Local Self - Government of the Republic of Lithuania and other
laws.
The municipality shall be formed out of the residential
areas. The basic criteria for the formation of a municipality are
its preparedness to manage and maintain its environment,
municipal economy, to provide communal services to local
inhabitants and to perform other functions provided for in the
Law on Local Self-Government of the Republic of Lithuania.
The county is the higher territorial administrative unit of
the Republic of Lithuania, the governing of which shall be
organised by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania pursuant
to the Law on the Governing of the County and other laws.
The county shall be formed out of the territories of the
municipalities that have common social, economic, and ethnic and
cultural interests.
Article 3. The Concept of the Populated Areas of the
Territory of the Republic of Lithuania
The towns are compactly built up residential areas, the
population of which exceeds 3000, and more than 2/3 of all the
working population of which are employed in industry, business
and production and social infrastructure.
The towns of the Republic of Lithuania, the population of
which is less than 3000, regional towns and urban-type
settlements which had the status of town, as residential areas
shall be considered as towns even after the coming into effect of
the Law on the Territorial Administrative Units of the Republic
of Lithuania and their Boundaries.
Small towns are compactly built up residential areas, the
population of which is from 500 up to 3000, more than a half of
the working population of which is employed in industry, business
and production and social infrastructures, as well as traditional
small towns.
Villages are other residential areas having no
characteristic features of a town and a small town.
Chapter 2
ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION OF THE TERRITORY
OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA
Article 4. The Municipalities of the Republic of
Lithuania
The following municipalities shall be established during the
first stage of the reform of the territorial administrative units
of the Republic of Lithuania:
Vilnius city, Alytus city, Bir÷tonas city, Druskininkai
city, Kaunas city, Klaipóda city, Marijampoló city, Neringa city,
Palanga city, Panevóýys city, öiauliai city, Visaginas city,
Akmenó district, Alytus district, Anyk÷ßiù district, Birýai
district, Ignalina district, Jonava district, Joni÷kis district,
Jurbarkas district, Kai÷iadorys district, Kaunas district,
Kódainiai district, Kelmó district, Klaipóda district, Kretinga
district, Kupi÷kis district, Lazdijai district, Marijampoló
district, Maýeikiai district, Molótai district, Pakruojis
district, Panevóýys district, Pasvalys district, Plungó district,
Prienù district, Radvili÷kis district, Raseiniai district,
Roki÷kis district, Skuodas district, öakiai district, öalßininkai
district, öiauliai district, öilaló district, öilutó district,
öirvintos district, övenßionys district, Tauragó district,
Tel÷iai district, Trakai district, Ukmergó district, Utena
district, Varóna district, Vilkavi÷kis district, Vilnius
district, Zarasai district.
Article 5. The Counties of the Republic of Lithuania
and their Territories
There shall be the following counties in the territory of
the Republic of Lithuania:
Alytus - county centre is Alytus city, including the
municipal territories of Alytus and Druskininkai cities
andAlytus, Lazdijai, and Varóna districts;
Kaunas - county centre is Kaunas city, including the
municipal territories of Kaunas and Bir÷tonas cities and Jonava,
Kai÷iadorys, Kaunas, Kódainiai, Prienai, and Raseiniai districts;
Klaipóda - county centre is Klaipóda city, including the
municipal territories of Klaipóda, Neringa and Palanga cities and
Klaipóda, Kretinga, Skuodas, and öilutó districts;
Marijampoló - county centre is Marijampoló city, including
the municipal territories of Marijampoló city and Marijampoló,
öakiai, and Vilkavi÷kis districts;
Panevóýys - county centre is Panevóýys city, including the
municipal territories of Panevóýys city, Birýai, Kupi÷kis,
Panevóýys, Pasvalys, and Roki÷kis districts;
öiauliai - county centre is öiauliai city, including the
municipal territories of öiauliai city and Akmenó, Joni÷kis,
Kelmó, Pakruojis, Radvili÷kis, and öiauliai districts.
Tauragó - county centre is Tauragó city, including the
municipal territories of Jurbarkas, öilaló, and Tauragó
districts;
Tel÷iai - county centre is Tel÷iai city, including the
municipal territories of Maýeikiai, Plungó and Tel÷iai districts;
Utena- county centre is Utena city, including the municipal
territories of Visaginas city, Anyk÷ßiai, Ignalina, Molótai,
Utena, and Zarasai districts;
Vilnius -county centre is Vilnius city, including the
municipal territories of Vilnius city, öalßininkai, öirvintos,
övenßionys, Trakai, Ukmergó, and Vilnius districts.
Chapter 3
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TERRITORIAL ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS
OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA AND THE RESIDENTIAL AREAS
AND CHANGING OF their BOUNDARIES
Article 6. The Establishment of the Counties and the
Changing of its Boundaries
The counties shall be established and abolished, as well as
their boundaries and centres shall be set or changed by the
Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania on the proposal of the
Government of the Republic of Lithuania. The county boundaries
must be changed when the number of municipalities or their
boundaries change. The territory of the municipality shall not be
divided by county boundaries.
Article 7. The Establishment of the Municipalities and
Changing of their Boundaries
The municipalities shall be established and abolished, as
well as their boundaries and centres shall be set and changed by
the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania on the proposal of the
Government of the Republic of Lithuania, taking into
consideration the proposals of the local authorities.
Chapter 4
PROCEDURE FOR GIVING AND CHANGING THE NAMES
TO THE TERRITORIAL ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS
OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA
AND THE RESIDENTIAL AREAS
Article 8. Names of the Counties and Municipalities
The names of counties shall be given and they shall be
changed by the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania on the
proposal of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.
The names to the municipalities shall be given and they
shall be changed by the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania upon
the proposal of the Government, taking into consideration the
proposals of the municipal councils.
Article 9. Giving to and Changing of the Names of the
Residential Areas and Objects Located therein
The names to residential areas shall be given and they shall
be changed by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania on the
proposal of the municipal council, taking into consideration the
proposals of the local inhabitants.
Streets, buildings, structures and other objects owned by
municipalities and lying in their territory shall be named or
their names shall be changed by the decision of the relevant
municipal council, upon the approval by the State Commission of
the Lithuanian Language (Amended on 14 September 1995).
The names to facilities belonging to the state shall be
given and they shall be changed by the Government of the Republic
of Lithuania.
Buildings attributed streets in the residential area and
appartments shall be numbered or their numbers shall be changed
by the executive bodies of local authorities. The procedure for
numbering, changing of the numbers and registration shall be
established by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.
The names of streets, buildings and other facilities shall
be registered in accordance with the procedure established by the
Government of the Republic of Lithuania. (Amended on 14 September
1995).
Article 10. The Abolishment of Populated Areas and
Changing of their Boundaries
The residential areas shall be abolished and the boundaries
of their territories shall be set and changed by the Government
of the Republic of Lithuania on the recommendation of
municipalities.
Chapter 5
THE REGISTRATION AND RECORDS
OF THE TERRITORIAL ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS
AND RESIDENTIAL AREAS
Article 11. Registration and Records of the Counties
and Municipalities
The counties and municipalities established pursuant to this
Law shall be registered and the changes in their territories
shall be recorded in the Register of Territorial Administrative
Units of the Republic of Lithuania and the Residential Areas in
the manner established by the Government of the Republic of
Lithuania.
Article 12. The Registration and Records of the
Residential Areas
The residential areas of the Republic of Lithuania shall be
registered and the changes in their territories or the names
shall be recorded in the Register of Territorial Administrative
Units of the Republic of Lithuania and the Residential Areas in
the manner established by the Government of the Republic of
Lithuania.
Article 13. Filing of Documents for the Purpose of
Setting Territorial Administrative Units and
the Territories of Residential Areas and
Changing of their Boundaries
The institutions, when presenting recommendations concerning
the setting of territorial administrative units and the
territories of the residential areas as well as the changing of
their boundaries, must file the decision of the relevant
municipal council, the explanatory note of the municipal council
wherein the expediency of the presented proposals are justified,
as well as 1:100000 scale plans (2 copies) containing changes of
such administrative units, and if the boundaries of the
territory, which are being changed, do not coincide with the
boundaries of the land users _ 1:10000 scale plans of the
boundaries (2 copies). The plans must be approved by the county
governor and the Registrar of the Territorial Administrative
Units of the Republic of Lithuania and the Residential Areas.
Chapter 6
FINAL PROVISIONS
Article 14. Enforcement of the Law
This Law shall be enforced pursuant to the Resolution of the
Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania "Concerning the Enforcement
of the Law on the Territorial Administrative Units and their
Boundaries".
I promulgate this Law passed by the Seimas of the Republic
of Lithuania.
Algirdas Brazauskas
President of the Republic
Vilnius
19 July 1994
No. I-558
(As amended by 14 September 1995)