The Minister of Social Security and Labor, Monika Navickienė, who presented the draft of the new law in the Seimas this week, said that it was prepared by a working group made up of researchers from non-governmental organizations and representatives of institutions since 2020, and the main goal is to increase the number of people who volunteer.
“We probably all remember the wave that really rose, after the start of the brutal war in Ukraine, how many Lithuanian residents started to volunteer, we estimate that over 9 percent Lithuanian residents contributed to the reception of war refugees, better integration and participated in voluntary activities. However, involvement in long-term volunteering is not yet at such a high level as we would like it to be,” M. Navickienė said during the Seimas session.
According to the minister, in 2019, 14.6 percent participated in voluntary activities. of people, in 2021 – 16.3 percent, but the pandemic, Russia’s war against Ukraine showed that in times of crisis, a much larger number of people focus on volunteering.
The Ministry of Social Security and Labor aims for 22% of the population to participate in voluntary activities in Lithuania by 2030. population.
After submission, 100 members of the Seimas voted for the new version of the Law on Voluntary Activities, and 21 abstained. The draft will be discussed in the Seimas committees.
It would distinguish between long-term voluntary activity, when the volunteer concludes a voluntary activity contract of at least 60 days, and voluntary service – a set of activities coordinated by a voluntary organization and carried out by a volunteer, the duration of which would be at least 100 hours during the period specified in the volunteer service program. Shorter volunteering would be considered short-term volunteering.
The draft law proposes to clarify the concept of voluntary activity, establishing that it is an activity carried out by the volunteer’s free will, ensuring his right to engage in voluntary activity of his own free will, and not to be forced to engage in it.
In order to separate volunteer activities and work relationships, it is proposed to determine that a volunteer cannot work on the same day, performing the same functions, according to an employment contract or on the basis of legal relationships equivalent to work relationships, and volunteer in the same host or coordinating organization.
The opposition says that such detailed regulation can increase the bureaucratic burden and discourage people from volunteering, as even now some people operate on a voluntary basis without creating an NGO, because they want to avoid “paperwork”.
“From what I read in the explanatory note, I have many questions. It mentions that the quality of volunteering is not guaranteed and so on. That is, if the laws do not prevent it from being ensured, apparently it is not ensured due to some other things, people who have certain competences simply do not come. And things like finding some activity for volunteers, doesn’t it seem like it’s bureaucratization?”, said Aurelijs Veryga, a “peasant”.
In response, the Minister said that she would not really want to increase the bureaucracy and that a common solution should be sought so that this does not happen. She also emphasized that the new provisions of the law were not proposed by the ministry, but by the non-governmental organizations that participated in the drafting of the project.
The draft law proposes to establish that long-term voluntary activities can only be organized with the participation of a coordinating organization, whose main purpose is to help solve emerging issues and promote the improvement of organizers.
Meanwhile, Guoda Burokienė of “Valstietė” said that she has been volunteering for 20 years and does not understand what the positive effect of the proposed regulation would be.
“What good would this bill do?” First, additional bureaucracy. Do you really think that extra bureaucracy will help volunteering? If I don’t register and I’m not in that short-term and long-term organization register, then I won’t be a volunteer anymore?” asked the MP.
Labor Party faction representative Ieva Kačinskaitė-Urbonienė said that the draft contains good provisions that would improve the coordination of volunteering, but there is also a part that “talks about the sub-bureaucratization of volunteering, accounting of hours, some kind of framework”.
“I don’t like this part anymore. When there is a need, our people tend to volunteer and help and really don’t count the hours, and when that need is less, then, naturally, people volunteer less”, said I. Kačinskaitė-Urbonienė.
The draft law stipulates that, in order to reduce the possibility of improper use of voluntary activities, a volunteer will not be able to work on the same day, performing the same functions, under an employment contract or on the basis of a legal relationship equivalent to an employment relationship, and volunteer in the same organization.
In addition, it will be legalized the possibility for a volunteer performing voluntary service to pay the expenses incurred with volunteering in advance. According to the ministry, this will enable poor people to engage in activities that require financial contributions.
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#Seimas #updated #law #volunteering #opposition #raises #questions #bureaucracy
**Interview with Minister Monika Navickienė on the New Law on Volunteering**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us today, Minister Navickienė. You recently presented a draft law in the Seimas aimed at enhancing voluntary activities in Lithuania. Could you share with us the primary goals of this legislation?
**Minister Navickienė:** Thank you for having me. The main objective of this new law is to promote and increase volunteerism across Lithuania. We noticed a significant increase in volunteer activities in response to crises, such as the war in Ukraine, where over 9 percent of our residents stepped up to help. However, we want to translate this surge into long-term commitment to volunteering, which is currently not at the desired levels.
**Interviewer:** You mentioned the statistics highlighting the increase in volunteer participation from 2019 to 2021. What strategies are being proposed in this draft to sustain and grow these numbers?
**Minister Navickienė:** The draft law proposes clear regulations that distinguish between short-term and long-term volunteering, which we believe will encourage people to engage in more sustained activities. It establishes guidelines and rights for both volunteers and the organizations that coordinate their efforts. Our aim is to create a framework that facilitates rather than hinders volunteerism.
**Interviewer:** Some critics, like Aurelijs Veryga and Guoda Burokienė, have raised concerns that the proposed regulations might create bureaucratic barriers that could discourage volunteering. How do you respond to that?
**Minister Navickienė:** I appreciate their concerns and want to assure everyone that our intention is not to add red tape. The working group behind this draft, which included NGOs and volunteers, is aware of these issues and came together to propose solutions that don’t impede volunteer activities. We’re committed to finding a balance that maintains the spirit of volunteering while ensuring that it is organized and impactful.
**Interviewer:** The law aims to ensure that volunteering is entirely voluntary and free from coercion. How will you ensure the rights of volunteers in this regard?
**Minister Navickienė:** The draft enshrines the principle of voluntary choice—volunteers must engage freely without any pressure. It includes provisions to prevent overlapping roles between employment and volunteering, ensuring that if someone is fulfilling the same tasks on a paid basis, they cannot also volunteer in that capacity.
**Interviewer:** Looking ahead, what impact do you hope this legislation will have on volunteerism in Lithuania by 2030?
**Minister Navickienė:** We aim to see at least 22 percent of the population engaged in volunteer activities. We believe that well-defined guidelines, alongside the passion and commitment of our citizens, will lead to a thriving culture of volunteering. Our ultimate goal is to strengthen community ties and improve social cohesion through dedicated volunteer efforts.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Minister Navickienė, for sharing these insights. We look forward to seeing how this draft evolves in the Seimas and its impact on Lithuanian society.
**Minister Navickienė:** Thank you for the opportunity to discuss this important initiative. I look forward to continuing this conversation as we make progress.