| Abstract [eng] |
The Roma is a minority group in the European Union (EU), which obstacles with great social, economical and political challenges throughout the entire EU. Despite some theoretical studies and empirical data, no analysis has ever been oriented towards the situation of the Roma in Lithuania. Thus, the objective of this master thesis (The Implementation of the Minority Policy in the European Union: the Roma (Case of Lithuania)) is to analyse the role of institutions in the implementation process of the Roma policy in Lithuania. Both the ways and the methods of the inter-institutional relations enable to find out solutions which can help to improve present situation. It is indicated that both the institutional structure (institu-tions may be governmental, non-governmental, and the Roma communities) and the relations between them determine the way in which policy is implemented. The aim of the thesis is to clarify the main criteria that show the roots of today’s situation of the Roma in Lithuania (institutional perspective) and to foresee the future situation. In order to achieve the aim of the thesis, four main tasks were set: to analyse the model of social policy of the minorities both in the EU and in Lithuania; to clarify the main criteria of the Roma situa-tion in Lithuania (this helps to find out possible solutions); to find the main criteria of judicial-institutional construction of the policy in relation to the best practices throughout the EU; to find the main political and administrative actors that have the greatest influence upon today’s policies situation in Lithuania. In the course of the thesis, the following hypotheses were tested: only two-way integration may both ensure full realization of the Roma needs in economical, social, cultural, political spheres and avoid negative preconceptions of the society; if there is no compatibility between the political declara-tions and the procedure of implementation, the Roma have no choice to become a fully integrated seg-ment of the society. A conclusion was drawn that some aspects of new institutionalism, rational choice and net-works theory enable to clarify the main problems of the implementation of the Roma policy in both the national and the supranational levels. It is also stated that in case of several unexpected changes in the institutional structure, the way of the policy must also be changed. It is recommended that the situation, in relation to the supranational cooperation between rįtinstitutions, should be improved in Lithuania, especially while talking about institutional cooperation in problem-orientated spheres (e.g. labour mar-ket, education, etc.). Besides, it is stated that policy should be implemented at that administrative level (local government, national, supranational) at which the best conditions are created. Finally, it is noted that the authorities of the local governments should pay more attention to the administration of the Roma. |
