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1 January 2016 is a special date –exactly fifteen years ago the Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania started working.

The history of Lithuanian administrative courts started when, in order to ensure effective control of the public sector, a three-tier system of administrative courts was established in Lithuania on 1 May 1999. It consisted of five county administrative courts, Higher Administrative Court and a Department of Administrative Cases in the Court of Appeal of Lithuania. This system of administrative courts functioned for one and a half years.

On 19 September 2000 the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania enacted amendments of the Law on Establishing Administrative Courts, by which a two-tier system of administrative courts was created. It consisted of county administrative courts and the Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania, which started its work on 1 January 2001. These amendments allowed development of an independent system of Lithuanian administrative courts. The aim was to protect human rights and freedoms more effectively, to ensure an independent control of the public sector and to implement the constitutional provision that state institutions shall serve the people.

‘Independent system of administrative justice is an integral part of the European law tradition. During the15 years the administrative courts system of Lithuania has formed entirely and has smoothly joined the general courts system. Together with international courts and courts of other countries the Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania develops legal standards created by the Council of Europe and the European Union; it also actively participates in activities of international and regional associations that unite administrative courts. The court not only forms administrative jurisprudence in the country, its judges and employees are valued experts often invited to share their experience in various international events and projects.  Today we are glad that a modern and effective administrative courts system is working in the country, and the constantly growing number of cases in administrative courts is the best indicator of trust in these courts. Looking ahead we have a clear vision – to ensure effective protection of constitutional rights and freedoms, to strengthen the administrative courts system for it guarantees the protection from the illegal acts of the public institutions’ – said the acting president of the Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania Irmantas Jarukaitis on the occasion of the fifteenth anniversary.