In 2000, the Lithuanian Free Market Institute (LFMI) conducted a project 'Seimas 2000' to further sustainable, consistent and predictable policy reforms for the benefit of people's welfare by promoting a structured approach to creating electoral platforms and stimulating informed public debates and prudent involvement in the election process.

 

In June LFMI wrote and published a "handbook" for 2000-2004 members of parliament and their voters, entitled in Lithuanian 'Knyga 2000-2004 Seimo nariams ir rinkėjams.' The aim of the book was to inspire pre-election debates about values, goals and ways to achieve these goals as well as to stimulate immediate, viable changes after the elections. The handbook offers analysis of today's pressing economic and social problems, with an assessment of the policies pursued to date, as well as defines clear and consistent principles for developing workable reform strategies and techniques. The book covers many key areas of economic and social policy, life and property protection, health care, state governance and public administration, EU integration, and the legislative process. It tells us how to privatise without scandal, how to ease the tax burden, how to remove distortionary, loss-making taxes, how to help employers and employees. The publication also uncovers barriers that stymie business activities, explains what kind of litas is the best for the Lithuanian people, and how to ensure a safe and comfortable retirement. It also scrutinises the problems in the areas of transportation, housing, poverty prevention, and culture. The book was presented on June 20.

 

Drawing on the proposed principles and direction of reforms presented in the handbook, LFMI has worked out an exhaustive action plan designed to help the incoming government to take coherent, justified action steps and to ensure the continuity of market reforms. Before the elections, LFMI presented the direction of the proposed reforms as well as recommendations regarding necessary policy decisions to various political parties. After the elections the action plan was submitted to the new government.

 

As part of the Seimas 2000 project, LFMI analysed election programmes of the main political parties from the perspective of their consistency, reliability and practicability. An assessment of the fundamental provisions of the election programmes as well as forecasts regarding the most likely policy actions and their effects on the country's economy were presented in 'The Free Market' No.5, 2000. The analysis covers the platforms of the following parties: A. Brazauskas Social Democratic Coalition, the Centre Union, the Homeland Union - Lithuanian Conservatives, the Liberal Union, the New Union (Social Liberals), and the Peasants Party.

 

In order to disseminate project results, to increase public understanding and to inspire informed debates, LFMI used mass media extensively. LFMI contributed a series of comprehensive articles, interviews and press releases to the national press and the local press as well as appeared on radio and television.

 

LFMI believes that this project has contributed towards implementation of the free market reforms in the country.