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Towards a Modern and Open Prosecutor’s Office: What Impresses the Norwegians and Where We Can Improve
Technology is advancing rapidly, making life easier but also creating new forms of crime. As a result, the role of criminal prosecution authorities is becoming more complex and essential. So how are Lithuania’s prosecutors tackling these challenges?
Joining Forces with Foreign Colleagues
Lithuania’s Prosecutor General’s Office is nearing the completion of a major project: " Building up Modern and Open Prosecution Service in the Republic of Lithuania". This initiative is a collaboration with Norway’s National Authority for the Investigation and Prosecution of the Economic and Environmental Crime (ØKOKRIM).
The partnership began nearly four years ago and is part of a broader European Economic Area (EEA) financial cooperation agreement signed in 2018.
"The Norwegian ØKOKRIM system is somewhat different from ours – it combines the functions of both the prosecutor's office and the police. For example, the organization has a position called Commissioner-Prosecutor, which would not be possible within our legal framework," explains the project manager, Rimvydas Valentukevičius, Chief Prosecutor of the Criminal Prosecution Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office.
“Norway’s ØKOKRIM system is different from ours—it combines the functions of both prosecutors and police. For example, they have a role called ‘Commissioner-Prosecutor,’ which would not be possible within our legal system,” explains the project manager, Rimvydas Valentukevičius, head of Lithuania’s Criminal Prosecution Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office.
Despite these differences, both countries face similar challenges in fighting economic and financial crime, making the collaboration highly valuable.
Building a More Transparent Institution
The project focuses on several key areas. One of the primary objectives is to improve the efficiency of criminal prosecution in Lithuania, strengthen administrative capacity of the prosecutor’s office and create a more open and transparent institution
A public perception study within the project found that most Lithuanians are unaware of what the Prosecutor’s Office does or what prosecutors’ responsibilities are.
“These are goals we pursue beyond the project as well,” says Valentukevičius. “The project’s funding allows us to implement changes faster—whether it is through training, technology upgrades, or knowledge exchange with foreign partners.”
Remote Work and Digital Transformation
With project funding, all 600 Lithuanian prosecutors, their assistants, and staff members received new laptops and smart devices to support their daily work. These tools allow them to conduct remote witness interviews, handle pre-trial investigations, participate in court hearings online, use the Integrated Criminal Procedure System (IBPS) efficiently
The COVID-19 pandemic did not disrupt prosecution work—prosecutors quickly adapted to remote operations, and even after restructuring, those in smaller cities can continue working effectively online.
Additionally, the Prosecutor’s Office Administration Information System (PAIS) was introduced to streamline document registration, task management, and resource planning.
Beyond Financial Support: Exchange of Expertise
A major breakthrough from the project was the development of a workload assessment system for prosecutors.
“We know that prosecutors in larger cities handle more cases. This new methodology will help ensure a fairer workload distribution,” says Valentukevičius.
Interestingly, while Norway has greater financial resources, Norwegian experts were surprised by how advanced Lithuania is in digitizing criminal procedures. After seeing Lithuania’s Integrated Criminal Procedure System (IBPS), ØKOKRIM representatives admitted that Lithuania is ahead of them in moving criminal cases into the digital space.
Key Achievements and Future Challenges
This project has provided an important opportunity to identify weaknesses in the organization and refine strategies for future improvements.
Over the past four years, significant progress has been made. Experts have developed investigation algorithms for the most common criminal offenses, along with a "Methodological Guide for Criminal Investigation Procedures and Its Application." The project has also led to valuable insights and recommendations on improving prosecutor specialization. Additionally, there has been an analysis of the current regulations governing criminal proceedings, as well as evaluations of prosecutorial work, the quality of procedural decisions, and the standards for final prosecutorial decisions and cassation appeals. Efforts have also focused on assessing the effectiveness of prosecuting economic and financial crimes, with recommendations for further improvements.
International experts have emphasized the need for stricter implementation of freezing and confiscating all types of criminally acquired property in Lithuania. They also noted that the legal framework for financial and economic investigations remains underdeveloped and needs further strengthening.
"We must acknowledge that gaps in legal regulations are the main challenge affecting the efficiency of the Prosecutor's Office. While we actively contribute to legislative initiatives, these changes depend not only on our institution’s efforts and vision but also on political will," summarized R. Valentukevičius.
The project, " Building up Modern and Open Prosecution Service in the Republic of Lithuania," is funded by the EEA Financial Mechanism. It runs for four years, from June 2020 to April 2024, with a budget exceeding €2.2 million.