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Straipsnyje aptariamas Lietuvos prisijungimas prie euro zonos, ivertinant pirmojo nesekmingo bandymo tai padaryti 2007 m. ir antrojo rezultatyvaus bandymo isivesti eura nuo 2015 m. priezastis ir politines ekonomijos aiskinimus. Siekiama atskleisti su dalyvavimu euro zonoje susijusius teisinius ir institucinius pokycius, pavyzdziui, nemazoritariniu instituciju stiprejima, analizuojamos pinigu politikos sasajos su biudzeto ir darbo rinkos reguliavimo politikos sritimis. Teigiama, jog, nors sparciam Lietuvos prisijungimui prie euro zonos tinkamas salygas sudare valiutu valdybos modelio ir fiksuoto valiutos kurso egzistavimas, del politinio sutarimo trukumo ir nesuderintu skirtingu, bet fiksuoto kurso salygomis funkciskai susijusiu viesosios politikos priemoniu, ypac artejant Seimo rinkimams, euro ivedimas buvo atidetas desimciai metu nuo istojimo i ES ir Lietuva si tiksla realizavo paskutine is triju Baltijos saliu. Pasakytina, kad del skirtingu pinigu politikos ir valiutos keitimo kursu rezimu Baltijos salyse ir Lenkijoje pirmosiose euro isivedimas tapo svarbiausiu isejimo is krizes zingsniu, o pastarojoje po 2009 m. stojimas i euro zona buvo atidetas neribotam laikui. Svarbiausias elito motyvas prisijungti prie euro zonos yra susijes su ekonomine nauda, kurios tikimasi isivedus eura, is maziau svarbiu motyvu paminetini 'vieta prie stalo', t. y. dalyvavimas priimant sprendimus euro zonoje, ir gilesne integracija kaip priemone apsisaugoti nuo isores gresmiu The article discusses Lithuania's accession into the euro zone, first, by presenting the political economy analysis of the first unsuccessful attempt to introduce euro in 2007 and then comparing it with the second, successful attempt to do that in 2015. It is argued that although the existence of a currency board reduced uncertainty linked to the fluctuating exchange rate regime and facilitated the participation in the Exchange rate mechanism II, due to the lack of political consensus in the country and misaligned monetary and budgetary and regulatory policies, in particular as Parliamentary elections approached, the actual accession into the euro zone was achieved only ten years after joining the EU and Lithuania was the last of the three Baltic States to accomplish that. According to the survey of political elites in Lithuania conducted for this project, the main motive for joining the euro zone is mostly linked to the perceived economic benefits, while the 'seat at the table', i.e., the possibility to participate in the decision-making of the euro zone and security benefits from being part of the core member states of the EU are less important. Adapted from the source document.

This paper analyzes the decisions taken since the start of the financial and economic crisis in the European Union and assesses them in the light of the traditional debates of integration theories. It discusses the key characteristics of the process of responding to the crisis since 2008-2009 when the problems of Greece have been increasingly publicized, the main actors involved, and provides an interpretation of the key decisions dealing with the crisis and their implications in terms of further European integration. First assessing these events in the light of the neofunctionalist and liberal intergovernmentalist debate, it then presents a framework linking the accounts of the integration process with a domestic politics approach. In this respect it contributes to the literature on European integration as well as the changing nature of EU polity, policy-specific effects of politics and how politics in member states constrains decisions on the further deepening of the Economic and Monetary Union and efforts to move towards transfer union. The incremental process of centralizing redistributive policies accompanied by the debates about financial transfers from some EMU countries to the others have altered popular 'permissive consensus' about the process of European integration and exposed territorial cleavages which became a key constraint in responding to the crisis and pressures for further integration. Adapted from the source document.

The article discusses the impact of European Union membership on the economy, politics and policies of the new member's states, in particular, Lithuania. It first presents the forecasts and arguments regarding the impact of EU enlargement that were discussed before the enlargement in 2004/2007. Afterwards it evaluates the experience so far, by discussing the studies which have been made on the impact of EU and concludes that, the enlargement has been a positive sum game for the economies of new member states (as well the whole EU), increasing trade and investments flows and contributing to the catching up with the rest of the EU. However, it argues that the impact of the EU membership is mediated by domestic policies of each member state, and that Lithuania has not attempted to strengthen the positive impulses coming from the EU accession, in particular by postponing the structural reforms in the country. So far most evidence shows that new members have not changed radically the functioning of the EU, and the implementation of the EU norms has been better than expected, with Lithuania consistently being one of the leading countries in this respect. Finally, it assesses the main European policy priorities in Lithuania, in particular the reasons for some failures (such as the failure to join the eurozone in 2007) and achievements. It argues that most European policy failures have been due to the inconsistency and low credibility of some domestic policies. It concludes by providing venues for future research of European policy after the enlargement. Adapted from the source document.

The article analyses the European studies in Lithuania since the reestablishment of independence in 1990. It discusses the main issues researched and their dynamics. First, what factors have been behind the changing subjects of European studies in Lithuania & how do they compare with the European studies in Western academia. Second, what have been the dominant subjects of European studies in Lithuania since 1990 & how do they relate to political developments between the EU and Lithuania as well as the nature of academic community in Lithuania. Third, taking into account the experience with European studies so far, to suggest possible future developments of this academic field in Lithuania, in such a way providing a map of potential subject of future research. Adapted from the source document.