Last modified: 2023-06-03 by 
zachary harden
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Lithuania is divided in two territorial administrative levels:
the counties and the municipalities. The counties have a governor
which represent the state on a regional level. Counties are
divided in municipalities. The municipalities are units of
local-governement. These are formed with residential areas
(towns, small towns and villages). There are two sort of
municipalities: cities and districts. According to the Law on the
Lithuanian state flag (26/06/1991), article 5 says that "the
order of approval and use of historical or new sample flags of
towns [read: cities] and districts shall be established by
laws." The article 29 of the Law on local self-government
(7/7/1994) gives some clues: "The coat of arms of the
administrative centre of a municipality shall be considered the
coat of arms of the respective local authority. (...) The local
authority coat of arms shall be used on the flag of the
municipality, seals of local self-government institutions, local
authority administration, its divisions and officers, insignia of
mayors, document forms and signs. (amended 14 march 1996).So we
have here an example, the coat of arms and the flag of the town
of Prienai is at the same time the coat of arms and the flag of
the Prienai Region Municipality.
Some things are unclear in this situation. It exists some
municipalities, districts, which capital is another municipalty,
a city. That is the case of Vilnius district which capital is
Vilnius city, and also the cases of Alytus, Kaunas, Mariampole,
Panevežys, Siauliai.Only the case of Klaipeda is clear, because
the capital of the district of Klaipeda is Gargždaiand not the
municipality of Klaipeda which is located in the district.
I have seen at the CEBED in Belgium two photo of flags for
Vilnius. Both were the same, except that one showed the greater
coat of arms of the city, the other the shield only. I might
think the one with the shield only is for the district and the
other one for the city. The flag of Memel/Klaipeda we have
discussed some times ago (yellow over red
with the coat of arms on the yellow stripe) is certainly the flag
of the city of Klaipeda now.
Pascal Vagnat, 22 October 1998
Currently there are three sort of municipalities: cities,
districts and small local authorities (called
"savivaldybe" - "a self-ruling one"), because
some districts were splited to smaller municipalities. It's true
that "The coat of arms of the administrative centre of a
municipality shall be considered the coat of arms of the
respective local authority." but only if the municipality
doesn't have its own coat of arms. Currently municipalities of
Trakai and Panevežys districts have got official coat of arm,
different from coat of arm of their administrative centres. The
Marijampole district exists no more, it is divided between
Marijampole city and Kalvarija and Kazlu Ruda small local
authorities.
Virginijus Misiunas, 15 May 2001
According to the Law on the Territorial Administrative Units
of the Republic of Lithuania and their Boundaries, 19th July
1994, Nr.I-558, Vilnius; Chapter 2 - Administrative Division of
the Territory of the Republic of Lithuania; Article 5 - The
Counties of the Republic of Lithuania and their Territories,
(full text - English version: <www3.lrs.lt/24729>,
Lithuanian version <www3.lrs.lt/189153>)
there shall be the following counties in the territory of the
Republic of Lithuania:
1. Alytus county - county centre is
Alytus city.
2. Kaunas County - county centre is
Kaunas city.
3. Klaipeda county - county centre is
Klaipeda city.
4. Marijampole county - county centre is
Marijampole city.
5. Panevežys county - county centre is
Panevežys city.
6. Siauliai county - county centre is
Siauliai city.
7. Taurage county - county centre is
Taurage city.
8. Telsiai county - county centre is
Telsiai city.
9. Utena county - county centre is Utena
city.
10. Vilnius County - county centre is
Vilnius city.
Territories of counties includes the municipal territories:
1. Alytus county - municipality of Alytus City (municipality centre is
Alytus city), municipality of Alytus
District (municipality centre is Alytus city), municipality
of Druskininkai City (municipality
centre is Druskininkai city), municipality of Lazdijai District (municipality centre is
Lazdijai city), municipality of Varena
District (municipality centre is Varena city).
2. Kaunas County - municipality of
Birstonas city (municipality centre is Birstonas city),
municipality of Jonava district (municipality centre is Jonava
city), municipality of Kaisiadorys district (municipality centre
is Kaisiadorys city), municipality of Kaunas
City (municipality centre is Kaunas city), municipality of
Kaunas district (municipality centre is Kaunas city),
municipality of Kedainiai district (municipality centre is Kedainiai City), municipality of Prienai District (municipality centre is
Prienai city), municipality of Raseiniai district (municipality
centre is Raseiniai city).
3. Klaipeda county - municipality of
Klaipeda district (municipality centre is Klaipeda city),
municipality of Klaipeda City
(municipality centre is Klaipeda city), municipality of Kretinga
district (municipality centre is Kretinga city), municipality of Neringa (municipality centre is Nida
city), municipality of Palanga City
(municipality centre is Palanga city), municipality of Skuodas District (municipality centre is
Skuodas city), municipality of Silute district (municipality
centre is Silute city).
4. Marijampole county - municipality of
Kalvarija city (municipality centre is Kalvarija city),
municipality of Kazlu Ruda City
(municipality centre is Kazlu Ruda city), municipality of Marijampole City (municipality centre is
Marijampole city), municipality of Sakiai district (municipality
centre is Sakiai city), municipality of Vilkaviskis district
(municipality centre is
Vilkaviskis city).
5. Panevežys county - municipality of
Birzai district (municipality centre is Birzai city),
municipality of Kupiskis district (municipality centre is
Kupiskis city), municipality of Panevežys
City (municipality centre is Panevežys city), municipality of
Panevežys District (municipality centre
is Panevežys city), municipality of Pasvalys district
(municipality centre is Pasvalys city), municipality of Rokiskis
district (municipality centre is Rokiskis
City).
6. Siauliai county - municipality of
Joniskis district (municipality centre is Joniskis city),
municipality of Kelme district (municipality centre is Kelme
city), municipality of Pakruojis district (municipality centre is
Pakruojis city), municipality of Akmene district (municipality
centre is Naujoji Akmene city), municipality of Radviliskis
district (municipality centre is Radviliskis city), municipality
of Siauliai City (municipality centre
is Siauliai city), municipality of Siauliai
District (municipality centre is Siauliai city).
7. Taurage county - Jurbarkas district
(municipality centre is Jurbarkas
city), Pagegiai city (municipality centre is Pagegiai city),
Silale district (municipality centre is Silale
city), Taurage district (municipality centre is Taurage city).
8. Telsiai county - municipality of
Mazeikiai district (municipality centre is Mazeikiai city),
municipality of Plunge district (municipality centre is Plunge
city), municipality of Rietavas city (municipality centre is
Rietavas city), municipality of Telsiai district (municipality
centre is Telsiai city).
9. Utena county - municipality of
Anyksciai district (municipality centre is Anyksciai city),
municipality of Ignalina District
(municipality centre is Ignalina city), municipality of Moletai
district (municipality centre is Moletai city), municipality of
Utena district (municipality centre is Utena city), municipality
of Visaginas City (municipality
centre is Visaginas city), municipality of Zarasai district
(municipality centre is Zarasai City).
10. Vilnius County - municipality of Elektrenai City (municipality centre is
Elektrenai city), municipality of Salcininkai district
(municipality centre is Salcininkai city), municipality of
Sirvintos district (municipality centre is Sirvintos city),
municipality of Svencionys district (municipality centre is
Svenconys city), municipality of Trakai District (municipality
centre is Trakai city), municipality of Ukmerge district
(municipality centre is Ukmerge city), municipality of Vilnius City (municipality centre is
Vilnius city), municipality of Vilnius
District (municipality centre is Vilnius city).
Audrius, 27 December 2002
There is no standardized uniform in the design of municipal
flags. All variants of the proportions of the municipal flags are
possible. The Lithuanian vexillology has big similarity with the
Polish vexillology. The common historical tradition is also the
basis. All county flags and Coat of Arms adopted on 2004 by
Heraldic Commission of Lithuanian Department of Interior. Flag
and Coat of Arms of Taurages County are yet unknown.
Jens Pattke, 25 February 2005
In 2010 the 10 Counties (Apskritis) in Lithuania were abolished, and therefore their symbols became obsolete. According to latest news, those symbols are now authorized to be used by the 10 Regional Development Councils, but those are not part of the administrative-territorial division system.
Since 2010, District Municipalities (Rajono Savivaldybe) and City Municipalities (Miesto Savivaldybe) are first level divisions in ATD System of Lithuania. They are sub-divided in Elderships (Seniunija), and these into Sub-Elderships (Seniunaitija), and that conclude the three-level ATD System of Lithuania.
In late 1990s and early 2000s began thinking about more successful involvement of the public opinion in the work of the local government bodies. That leads to creation of non-governmental organizations as form of direct citizens' self-governance called Local Community (Bendruomene), which are not part of the ATD System, but parallel with it and have advisory role. Here is part of the law that describe their role in the State and Society:
THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA
DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
THE LAW
2018 December 13 No. XIII-1774
Vilnius
SECTION ONE
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Article 1 . Purpose and purpose of the law
1 . The purpose of this law is to create a favorable environment for community organizations, to ensure appropriate conditions for their activities and development as an important part of civil society and local government.
2 . This law establishes the principles of formation and implementation of the development policy of community organizations, the conditions of co-operation of state and municipal institutions and establishments with community organizations and other activities of community organizations that promote the development of community organizations.
3 . This law does not regulate the establishment, management, reorganization, reorganization and liquidation of community organizations.
Article 2 . The basic concepts of this law
1 . A community organization is an association whose founders and members are residents of the community (part of it or several residential areas) (their representatives) and whose purpose is to pursue public interests related to living in the neighborhood through initiatives.
2 . The policy of development of community organizations is a purposeful activity that defines the conditions for the operation of community organizations, promotes the development of these organizations in the country and ensures cooperation of state and municipal institutions and institutions with community organizations strengthening civil society.
3 . Residential community - residents of a municipal residential area (part of it or several residential areas) connected to the general needs and interests of living in the neighborhood and acting on these needs and interests through various forms of direct participation (meeting, public hearing, survey, activities through their representatives, community organizations etc.).
4 . The National Council of Community Organizations is a collegial advisory body operating on a public basis, formed in accordance with the procedure established by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania by delegated representatives of state institutions, agencies, the Association of Lithuanian Municipalities, the Association of Lithuanian Municipal Elders and the national umbrella community organization.
5 . National umbrella community organization - an association uniting more than half of the community organizations operating in the Republic of Lithuania.
6 . The Council of Municipal Community Organizations is a collegial advisory institution operating on a public basis, formed in accordance with the established procedure from the delegated representatives of municipal institutions and establishments and community organizations in accordance with the principle of parity.
These Local Communities are now created in many various forms: in the Cities, in Towns, in Villages, or in parts of the Cities, or as union of Villages - Town Community, Village Community, Neighborhood Community etc. Sometimes these local communities are using the same symbols as the local government, but in most cases they are using their own flags and emblems.
Places: From the geographical-statistical point of view, there are three types of settlements in Lithuania - City (Miesto), Borough (Miestelis), and Village (Kaimas).
For the FOTW purposes and to not mix up places, I rename Cities from administrative-territorial aspect - City for cities that are independent i.e. not part of the districts, and Town for cities that are part of the districts.
Flags: When the Lithuanian Heraldry Commission is granting flags, they appeared in two forms: 1x2 as flag for everyday use and 1x1 as standard for the governing body. In the same letter are given the coat of arms and the seal, and sometimes the seal for the local community. Flags are sometimes bearers of the coat of arms, and sometimes are banners of arms. Flags of the local communities are very different, as there are no restrictions for them. Some are like children drawings, and some are very good.
Valentin Poposki, 28 April 2022
Counties:
Municipalities:
I located a lot of LT small images - Coats of Arms ,banners
(?) and more at <www.litva.lt>.
Dov Gutterman, 12 September 1999 and Audrius
Slapsinskas, 24 June 2003
In fact, there are only CoA's of communes of Lithuania. What
look like "banners" in this site are in fact CoA's with
a shield dating back to the USSR period. The Lithuanian
Presidential commission have suppressed those shields and
replaced them with more "round" shields. The only flag
present here is the Lithuanian flag. There are flags for the
communes and certainly for districts, as the law allows this.
Pascal Vagnat, 13 September 1999
Pascal Vagnat reports in the German vexillology list
about two volumes of "The Heraldry of Lithuania",
published by Baltos Lankos. The first volume appeared
recently and showed mostly municipal arms, but also some
districts' arms, the State arms, the State flag and the
Presidential flag with many explanations about them. All
illustrations in colour, texts in Lithuanian and English. Volume
two is scheduled for next year, with more municipal arms and also
municipal flags.
I found the book mentioned in the Heraldica website: <www.heraldica.org>
as Edmundas Rimsa, The Heraldry of Lithuania I, Vilnius 1998.
Also in this website about Baltos Lankos publishers: <www.melina-verlag.de>.
The book has 192 pages, hardbound, ISBN 3-929255-54-5, price DM40
(approx. $18). Elsewhere I found that the book was published by
the Lithuanian Presidential Commission on Heraldry.
Santiago Dotor, 8 June 2001
In all descriptions of Lithuanian arms and flags the word
"purpure" is used for the colour that is (for my eye)
closer to "sanguine" of Western heraldry. I don't know
the reason but just transfer the meaning of official the
descriptions.
Most likely, this is a cultural difference: the Western
"purple" is called "violet" here, and
"purpure" means "dark red".
If this is not true, then I suspect some problems with the
digitization of pictures in the publishing house, rather than
problems with the quality of paint: the book is released using
very good materials, and this "ambiguity" is repeated
in books of different years. But any other explanation is also
possible, even that Lithuanian Heraldry Commission has published
exactly what it intended to, but my seeing of colour is lying. I
have found (in the law on the Presidential Flag) the Pantone code
that the Commission uses for the description of purpure: 19-1664
TP.
Virginijus Misiunas, 26 January 2010