REPUBLIC OF

LAW ON THE TERRITORIAL ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS AND THEIR BOUNDARIES

19 July 1994 – No I-558 (As last amended on 30 March 2010 – No XI-709)

CHAPTER I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Territorial Administrative Units and Residential Areas of the Republic of Lithuania The territory of the Republic of Lithuania shall be divided into administrative units consisting of residential areas. The territorial administrative unit of the Republic of Lithuania shall be a part of the territory the governance wherein is organized by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania or municipal institutions. The territorial administrative unit shall have its boundaries, centre and name. The territorial administrative units of the Republic of Lithuania shall be the counties and municipalities. The residential areas of the Republic of Lithuania shall be divided into urban and rural residential areas. Cities and towns shall be attributed to urban residential areas whereas townships, villages and steadings shall be attributed to rural residential areas. Residential areas may be granted the status of a resort or a resort area.

Article 2. Concept of the Territorial Administrative Unit of the Republic of Lithuania The municipality shall be a territorial administrative unit of the Republic of Lithuania which is governed by the municipal council elected by the community of residents pursuant to the Law of the Republic of Lithuania on Local Self-government and other laws. The municipality shall be formed from residential areas. Its territory may be divided into territories serviced by wards. The main criteria for forming a municipality shall be its preparedness to manage and maintain its environment, municipal economy, provide services to residents and perform other functions provided for in the Law of the Republic of Lithuania on Local Self-government.

Version of paragraph 2 before 1 July 2010: The county shall be a higher administrative unit of the territory of the Republic of Lithuania the governance wherein is organized by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania pursuant to the Law of the Republic of Lithuania on Local Self-government and other laws. Version of paragraph 2 as of 1 July 2010: The county shall be a higher administrative unit of the territory of the Republic of Lithuania the governance wherein is organized by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania in the manner prescribed by law. The county shall be formed from the territories of municipalities characterized by common social, economic and ethno-cultural interests.

Article 3. Concept of the Territories and Residential Areas of the Republic of Lithuania Serviced by Wards The territory serviced by a ward shall be a part of the territory of a municipality consisting of residential areas or a part of the territory of a city or town. The ward shall have the boundaries of the territory it services and its own name. Cities and towns shall be compactly built-up residential areas with the number of residents exceeding 3000, over 2/3 of whom are employed in industry and the fields of business, manufacturing and social infrastructure. Towns, regional towns and urban-type settlements which formerly had the status of a town of the Republic of Lithuania, with the number of residents not exceeding 3000, as residential areas shall be considered as towns also upon coming into force of the Law of the Republic of Lithuania on the Territorial Administrative Units and their Boundaries. Townships shall be compactly built-up residential areas with the number of residents ranging from 500 to 3000, over half of whom are employed in industry and the fields of business, manufacturing and social infrastructure, as well as traditional townships. Villages shall be residential areas with no features of a city, town, township or steading. Steadings shall be historically formed residential areas typically made up of or originating from a single homestead with no more than 20 objects each at a different address. Residential areas with natural curative elements ( waters, medicinal mud, health- promoting microclimate, recreational green areas, water bodies) which have been scientifically tested and recognized to have healing properties and with well-developed specialised infrastructure to use these elements for treatment, health promotion, tourism and recreation may be granted the status of a resort. The following shall have the status of a resort: Birštonas, , Neringa and . Residential areas with natural resources which may have curative properties and with specialised infrastructure to use these resources for health promotion, tourism and recreation may be granted the status of a resort area. The status of a resort area shall be granted to one or several residential areas or parts thereof. The requirements for granting the status of a resort or a resort area shall be established by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.

Article 31. Management of the Address Register of the Republic of Lithuania The Address Register of the Republic of Lithuania shall be managed by the leading Register management body – the Ministry of Justice and the Register management body – state enterprise the Centre of Registers (hereinafter referred to as the “management body of the Address Register of the Republic of Lithuania”).

CHAPTER II. ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION OF THE TERRITORY OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA

Article 4. Municipalities of the Republic of Lithuania and their Centres 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, city, Birštonas city, Druskinininkai city, city, Klaipėda city, Marijampolė city, Neringa city, Palanga city, Panevėžys city, Šiauliai city, city, Akmenė district, Alytus district, Anykščiai district, Biržai district, district, district, Joniškis district, district, Kaišiadorys district, Kaunas district, Kėdainiai district, Kelmė district, Klaipėda district, district, Kupiškis district, district, Marijampolė district, Mažeikiai district, Molėtai district, Pakruojis district, Panevėžys district, Pasvalys district, Plungė district, district, Radviliškis district, district, Rokiškis district, district, Šakiai district, Šalčininkai district, Šiauliai district, Šilalė district, Šilutė district, Širvintos district, Švenčionys district, Tauragė district, Telšiai district, district, Ukmergė district, district, Varėna district, Vilkaviškis district, Vilnius district, district. At the first level of the second stage of the reform of the territorial administrative units: 1) the following municipalities shall be established: Elektrėnai municipality, , Kazlų Rūda municipality, Pagėgiai municipality, municipality; 2) upon establishing Kalvarija and Kazlų Rūda municipalities, Marijampolė district municipality shall be liquidated; 3) the territories and boundaries of the following municipalities shall be changed: Birštonas city, Druskininkai city, Marijampolė city, Vilnius city, Akmenė district, Kaišiadorys district, Lazdijai district, Mažeikiai district, Plungė district, Šakiai district, Šilutė district, Trakai district, Varėna district, Vilkaviškis district; 4) the following names of municipalities shall be changed: Birštonas city – to Birštonas, Druskininkai city – to Druskininkai, Marijampolė city – to Marijampolė, Neringa city – to Neringa, Visaginas city – to Visaginas. The following municipalities and their centres shall be set: Akmenė district (centre – Naujoji Akmenė), Alytus city (centre – Alytus), Alytus district (centre – Alytus), Anykščiai district (centre – Anykščiai), Birštonas (centre – Birštonas), Biržai district (centre – Biržai), Druskininkai (centre – Druskininkai), Elektrėnai (centre – Elektrėnai), Klaipėda district (centre – Gargždai), Ignalina district (centre – Ignalina), Jonava district (centre – Jonava), Joniškis district (centre – Joniškis), Jurbarkas district (centre – Jurbarkas), Kaišiadorys district (centre – Kaišiadorys), Kalvarija (centre – Kalvarija), Kaunas city (centre – Kaunas), Kaunas district (centre – Kaunas), Kazlų Rūda (centre – Kazlų Rūda), Kelmė district (centre – Kelmė), Kėdainiai district (centre – Kėdainiai), Klaipėda city (centre – Klaipėda), Kretinga district (centre – Kretinga), Kupiškis district (centre – Kupiškis), Lazdijai district (centre – Lazdijai), Marijampolė (centre – Marijampolė), Mažeikiai district (centre – Mažeikiai), Molėtai district (centre – Molėtai), Neringa (centre – Nida), Pagėgiai (centre – Pagėgiai), Pakruojis district (centre – Pakruojis), Palanga city (centre – Palanga), Panevėžys city (centre – Panevėžys), Panevėžys district (centre – Panevėžys), Pasvalys district (centre – Pasvalys), Plungė district (centre – Plungė), Prienai district (centre – Prienai), Radviliškis district (centre – Radviliškis), Raseiniai district (centre – Raseiniai), Rietavas (centre – Rietavas), Rokiškis district (centre – Rokiškis), Skuodas district (centre – Skuodas), Šakiai district (centre – Šakiai), Šalčininkai district (centre – Šalčininkai), Šiauliai city (centre – Šiauliai), Šiauliai district (centre – Šiauliai), Šilalė district (centre – Šilalė), Šilutė district (centre – Šilutė), Širvintos district (centre – Širvintos), Švenčionys district (centre – Švenčionys), Tauragė district (centre – Tauragė), Telšiai district (centre – Telšiai), Trakai district (centre – Trakai), Ukmergė district (centre – Ukmergė), Utena district (centre – Utena), Varėna district (centre – Varėna), Vilkaviškis district (centre – Vilkaviškis), Vilnius city (centre – Vilnius), Vilnius district (centre – Vilnius), Visaginas (centre – Visaginas) and Zarasai district (centre – Zarasai).

Article 5. Counties of the Republic of Lithuania, their Centres and Territories There shall be the following counties in the territory of the Republic of Lithuania: Alytus – centre Alytus city; Kaunas – centre Kaunas city; Klaipėda - centre Klaipėda city; Marijampolė – centre Marijampolė city; Panevėžys – centre Panevėžys city; Šiauliai – centre Šiauliai city; Tauragė – centre Tauragė city; Telšiai – centre Telšiai city; Utena – centre Utena city; Vilnius – centre Vilnius city. The territories of the counties shall be formed from the territories of the following municipalities: 1) – Alytus city, Alytus district, Druskininkai, Lazdijai district and Varėna district municipalities; 2) – Birštonas, Jonava district, Kaišiadorys district, Kaunas city, Kaunas district, Kėdainiai district, Prienai district and Raseiniai district municipalities; 3) Klaipėda county – Klaipėda district, Klaipėda city, Kretinga district, Neringa, Palanga city, Skuodas district and Šilutė district municipalities; 4) Marijampolė county – Kalvarija, Kazlų Rūda, Marijampolė, Šakiai district and Vilkaviškis district municipalities; 5) Panevėžys county – Biržai district, Kupiškis district, Panevėžys city, Panevėžys district, Pasvalys district and Rokiškis district municipalities; 6) Šiauliai county – Joniškis district, Kelmė district, Pakruojis district, Akmenė district, Radviliškis district, Šiauliai city and Šiauliai district municipalities; 7) Tauragė county – Jurbarkas district, Pagėgiai, Šilalė district and Tauragė district municipalities; 8) Telšiai county – Mažeikiai district, Plungė district, Rietavas and Telšiai district municipalities; 9) – Anykščiai district, Ignalina district, Molėtai district, Utena district, Visaginas and Zarasai district municipalities; 10) – Elektrėnai, Šalčininkai district, Širvintos district, Švenčionys district, Trakai district, Ukmergė district, Vilnius city and Vilnius district municipalities.

CHAPTER III. SETTING OF TERRITORIAL ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS, TERRITORIES SERVICED BY WARDS AND RESIDENTIAL AREAS OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA AND CHANGING OF THEIR BOUNDARIES

Article 6. Establishment of Counties and Changing of their Boundaries The counties shall be established and liquidated and the boundaries of their territories and their centres shall be set and changed by the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania on the recommendation of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania. The boundaries of the counties must be adjusted if, when changing the boundaries of the territories of the municipalities, the boundaries of the territories of the counties overlapping with the boundaries being changed also change. The territory of the municipalities shall not be divided by the boundaries of the counties.

Article 7. Establishment of Municipalities, Setting and Changing of their Boundaries The municipalities shall be established and the existing municipalities shall be liquidated and the boundaries of their territories and their centres shall be set and changed by the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania on the recommendation of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania. The Government of the Republic of Lithuania shall prepare and submit to the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania documents in relation to the establishment of new municipalities and setting of the boundaries of their territories where, in the local population poll of the municipality to be established with the participation of more than half of the residents of the municipality to be established eligible to take part in the poll, more than half of those who participated voted in favour of establishment of a new municipality, and where the municipality to be established as well as the municipalities the boundaries of the territories whereof are to be changed due to the establishment of a new municipality meet the following criteria: 1) at least 20 per cent of the municipal budget without the appropriations from the state budget of the Republic of Lithuania awarded to municipal budgets would be made up of the income tax of individuals of that territory; 2) the total number of residents of the municipality would be not less than 10 000; 3) the number of residents of the centre of the municipality would be not less than 3 000; 4) the centre of the municipality would be 20 km away or farther from the nearest existing centre of the municipality; 5) the municipality would have the boundaries with at least two municipalities; When submitting to the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania documents in relation to the establishment of new municipalities and setting of their boundaries, the Government of the Republic of Lithuania shall also include the opinions of the municipal councils of the municipalities the boundaries of the territories whereof are to be changed as well as the opinion of the residents of the new municipality to be established expressed in the local population poll. When submitting to the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania documents in relation to changing of the boundaries of the territories of the municipalities, the Government of the Republic of Lithuania shall also include the opinions of the municipal councils of the municipalities the boundaries of the territories whereof are changed as well as the opinion of the local residents of the part of the territory to be attributed to another municipality expressed in the local population poll.

Article 7(1). Setting and Changing of the Boundaries of Territories Serviced by Wards The boundaries of the territories serviced by wards shall be set and changed by the municipal councils. A description of the procedure for setting and changing of the boundaries of the territories serviced by wards, and for submitting documents to the management body of the Address Register of the Republic of Lithuania shall be approved by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania or an institution authorized by it.

CHAPTER IV. GRANTING OF NAMES TO THE TERRITORIAL ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS AND RESIDENTIAL AREAS OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA AND CHANGING THEREOF

Article 8. Names of Counties and Municipalities County names shall be granted and changed by the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania on the recommendation of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania. Municipality names shall be granted and changed by the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania on the recommendation of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, taking into consideration the proposals of the municipal councils.

Article 9. Granting of Names and Status to Residential Areas and Objects Located Therein and Changing Thereof The name of a residential area shall be comprised of the proper name of the residential area and its type (city, town, township, village or steading). Residential area names shall be granted and changed by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, taking into consideration the proposals of the municipal councils submitted upon evaluation of the opinion of the local population. Names to streets, buildings, structures and other objects owned by municipalities located in their territories shall be granted and changed by decisions of the respective municipal councils in accordance with the criteria set by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania or an institution authorized by it. Names to objects owned by the State shall be granted and changed by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania. Buildings attributed to the streets of residential areas or to residential areas and apartments or premises in such buildings shall be numbered and their numbers shall be changed by the executive body of the municipality or, on its instructions, by the warden. The procedure for numbering, changing numbers and entering them in the register shall be established by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania or an institution authorized by it. Names of streets, buildings, structures and other objects shall be entered in the register in accordance with the procedure established by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania or an institution authorized by it. Residential areas shall be granted the status of a resort and such status shall be revoked by the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania on the recommendation of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania. Residential areas or parts thereof shall be granted the status of a resort area and such status shall be revoked by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania on the proposal of the municipal council.

Article 10. Setting and Liquidating of Residential Areas, Setting and Changing of the Boundaries of their Territories Residential areas shall be set and liquidated and the boundaries of their territories shall be set and changed by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, taking into consideration the proposals of the municipal councils submitted upon evaluation of the opinion of the local population.

CHAPTER V. REGISTRATION AND ENTERING IN THE REGISTER OF THE TERRITORIAL ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS, WARDS AND RESIDENTIAL AREAS OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA

Article 11. Registration and Entering in the Register of Counties and Municipalities Counties and municipalities established pursuant to this Law shall be registered and changes of the territories thereof shall be entered in the Address Register of the Republic of Lithuania in accordance with the procedure laid down by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.

Article 12. Registration and Entering in the Register of Wards and Residential Areas Wards and residential areas of the Republic of Lithuania shall be registered and changes of their territories or names shall be entered in the Address Register of the Republic of Lithuania in accordance with the procedure laid down by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.

Article 13. Examination of Proposals and Documents in Relation to Setting of Administrative Units and Territories of Residential Areas and Changing of the Boundaries Thereof Initiative groups of residents and municipal councils shall have the right to submit to the Government of the Republic of Lithuania proposals in relation to the establishment of new municipalities, liquidation of the existing municipalities, setting and changing of the boundaries of their territories and their centres. The procedure for setting up initiative groups of residents and submitting of proposals shall be established by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania or an institution authorized by it. Proposals in relation to the establishment or liquidation of municipalities, other territorial administrative units of the Republic of Lithuania, setting or liquidation of residential areas, granting or changing of names of residential areas as well as setting or changing of the boundaries of their territories and the territories of the territorial administrative units of the Republic of Lithuania, granting or revoking of the status of a resort or a resort area shall be examined and opinions on these issues and, where necessary also appropriate draft legal acts, shall be submitted to the Government of the Republic of Lithuania by an institution authorized by it. The procedure for the local population poll when establishing or liquidating the territorial administrative units of the Republic of Lithuania, setting or changing of the boundaries of their territories and their centres shall be established by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania or an institution authorized by it. The procedure for submitting and examining documents and proposals necessary for the establishment or liquidation of the territorial administrative units of the Republic of Lithuania, granting or changing of their names and of the names of residential areas, setting or changing of the boundaries of the territories and granting or revoking the status of a resort or a resort area, as well as the procedure for consulting the local population in relation to granting or changing of names of residential areas and setting or changing of the boundaries of their territories shall be established by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania or an institution authorized by it.

CHAPTER VI. FINAL PROVISIONS

Article 14. Implementation of the Law This Law shall be implemented according to the resolution of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania on the Implementation of the Law of the Republic of Lithuania on the Territorial Administrative Units and their Boundaries. The municipalities specified in paragraph 2 of Article 4 of this Law shall be established and the provisions of Articles 4 and 5 shall be implemented in accordance with the Law on the Implementation of the Law Supplementing Articles 4 and 14 and Amending Article 5 of the Law of the Republic of Lithuania on the Territorial Administrative Units and their Boundaries.

Article 15. Proposals to the Government of the Republic of Lithuania To propose to the Government of the Republic of Lithuania to approve, by 30 June 1999, the procedure for the local population poll.

I promulgate this Law passed by the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania.

PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC ______