Institutions Forming the Infrastructure of Rural Areas in Lithuania: a Systematic Approach

Infrastructure of rural areas (hereafter referred to as RAI) is an open system influenced by the initiatives of governmental institutions and local authorities. This system consists of subjects of rural areas (rural development actors) and partnership and relationship of responsibility among them. In order to determine substantial relationship between the elements of the system, it is important to examine goals, objectives, and functions of governmental and local institutions responsible for RAI formation. The aim of the research was to evaluate the influence to RAI of these institutions applying the systematic approach. This article covers empirical results of the research: the analysis of the regulations providing the formation of RAI for governmental institutions and local authorities in Lithuania. The research has revealed that governmental and administrative institutions perform the function of RAI policy formation, and local authorities perform the function of implementation. At the end of the article, the system of institutions responsible for RAI formation is given.