Why do some policy evaluations have national and worldwide recognition? Those evaluations make an impact on states’ modernization; they change the paradigms, values, stereotypes, programming transformation and reforms. Other evaluations do not have any significant influence and are likely put on the e-shelves of the governments and universities computers. Evaluation researches are defined as reformistic, which aim to develop an alternatives for the social improvement. One of the functions of evaluation is an improvement by assessing policy output and outcome. Most outcomes are jointly determined and controlled by plurality of the actors. Evaluation helps to change a policy agenda, policy formulation and implementation strategies. Modern scientific and technological achievements provide governments with real and noticeable military, economic, political, diplomatic power. Under such circumstances, a critical question emerge: is the influence of policy evaluations determined by the qualifications of the evaluators, the political-economic situation or the efforts of the international donors community to export values, knowledge, ideas which have either direct or indirect interest to the development efforts?

Poland has made significant efforts in the development of the evaluation function as a tool for better decision-making and good governance. Starting from the pre-accession program PHARE as legal obligation, current evaluation is not only used as a tool for accountability and knowledge production but evaluation results are used in the national decision making on. Poland has also made significant attempts to implement a European Union Cohesion policy, the outcome of which should be to decentralize the evaluation function too. However, the system is not working properly yet, due to different obstacles such as lack of human resources, quality of evaluation studies and relevant monitoring data. Poland is moving to the most advanced stage in terms of evaluation content, quality between European Union member states and maybe good example for the present and future members how to make evaluation really work for decision making and absorption of structural funds.

The article presents the findings obtained through the quantitative survey of citizen participation in public administration that was conducted during the March-April 2008. The object of research is citizen participation in public administration. The aim of research is to evaluate a perception of citizen participation in municipal government of Lithuania. The research questions that drive this study are: what is the impact of citizen participation initiatives to the activity of municipalities?; what is the relation between citizen participation and decision-making process in municipalities?; what are the reasons and areas why citizens can not participate in public administration?

2009 m. lapkričio 30 d. – gruodžio 1 d. Varšuvoje, Lenkijoje, vyko XI konferencija „Nauji metodai Europos Sąjungos Sanglaudos politikai vertinti, skatinant atskaitomybę ir mokymą“ (angl. New Methods for Cohesion Policy Evaluation: Promoting Accountability and Learning), kurią organizavo Europos Komisija bei Lenkijos Regioninės plėtros ministerija. Konferencijoje dalyvavo 500 atstovų iš valstybių narių ir asocijuotų kandidačių (Kroatijos, Turkijos). Daugiausia dalyvių – administratoriai, dirbantys Struktūrinių fondų vertinimo srityje, kitą grupę sudarė vertinimo paslaugas teikiančios įmonės, nevyriausybinės organizacijos ir, galiausiai, akademinė bendruomenė.

Įsigaliojus Lisabonos sutarčiai, bendro sprendimo procedūrą pakeitė įprastinė teisėkūros procedūra. Europos Parlamentas sprendimus priims drauge su Taryba. Tai reiškia, kad Europos Sąjungos sprendimų priėmimas bus grindžiamas dvigubu teisėtumu – tiek piliečių (kuriems atstovauja Europos Parlamento nariai), tiek valstybių narių (kurioms atstovauja Ministrų Tarybos nariai).

The aim of this paper is to assess the changes of trajectories of the performance management and program evaluation in Lithuanian Public Administration. This research is on-going trial to assess the effects and limitations of the performance management and program evaluation adaptation in the Lithuanian public administration. Our findings suggest that the greatest demand for the effectiveness, efficiency and productivity in the government leads to the highest use of performance management and evaluation as a tool for decision-making.