DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL SECURITY IN LITHUANIA: ACHIEVEMENTS AND DRAWBACKS
DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL SECURITY IN LITHUANIA: ACHIEVEMENTS AND DRAWBACKS

Summary/Abstract: While the structure and purposes of the present social security system in Lithuania does not differ from those of the OECD countries in general terms, certain specific features can be identified. There are similarities between Lithuania and other Central and Eastern European countries that experienced transition from a command system to a market economy. All of them went through massive privatization, with high inflation and unemployment, creating a sense of declining welfare (Eatwell 2000, Ferge 2001, Bernotas, Guogis 2006). Although the scope and depth of the problems have varied, all of these countries managed to stabilize their economies and were experiencing fast growth in GDP until the global financial crisis of 2008. Lithuania had one of the fastest growing GDP’s in Europe in 2000-2008 (Eurostat 2010) and was well placed to join the EU and NATO in 2004. Nevertheless, in terms of some social indicators, Lithuania lagged behind the developed democracies (UNDP 2009).

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