Public Involvement at a Local Self-Government Level in the Context of Open Data

Abstract

The article analyses presumptions with regard to public involvement at a local selfgovernment level and essential conditions for citizen empowerment, using the analysis of scientific literature and statistical data as a basis for the study. In the literature, authors usually emphasise that the participation of citizens and other interest groups depends on factors such as their chosen forms of involvement, the skills of participants, and their willingness to cooperate and communicate. However, one of the most important factors is access to information and the implementation of an open data policy. With the aim of analysing the situation regarding public involvement in Lithuania, attention is paid in this article to the openness of data, and to e-participation tools and their use in the country’s municipalities.