jssi Journal of Security and Sustainability Issues 2029-7017 2029-7017 LKA JSSI144 10.9770/jssi.2012.1.4(4) Article Influence of the European Union Structural Funds to Sustainability of the Country’s Regional Development Šileika Algis Algis.Sileika@dsti.lt Institute of Labour and Social Research, Goštauto St. 11, LT-01108 Vilnius, Lithuania Savickaitė Eglė egle.savickaite@gmail.com Public institution Lithuanian Business Support Aagency, Savanorių Av. 28, LT-03116 Vilnius, Lithuania 1 4 273 286 29 06 2012 29 06 2012

The article analyses the realization of the support from the EU structural funds in the regions of Lithuania. It has been investigated, in which areas and regions the funds have been most and least successfully assimilated. Socio-economic development of the Lithuanian regions has been analysed in the period of 2008-2011 and the influence of the assimilated EU support. Similarly, debatable questions of the region, its development and conception of regional politics have been studied.Statistical data from Eurostat, the Department of Statistics of Lithuania under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania and the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania have been used in the research.

 regional and socio-economic politics sustainable development EU structural funds gross domestic product direct foreign investments unemployment and average gross salary O2 O23 O25 R1 R13