Klaipėdos universitetas

The article analyses the phenomenon of acedia which is often described as modern time evil by the thinkers of spiritual life and theologians whereas the Magisterium of the Catholic Church attributes this phenomenon to the seven capital vices. Acedia is analysed as one of temptations and difficulties of human life that deprives the person of hope. The article searches for expressions of acedia in biblical scriptures and analyses direct references to the phenomenon in the early monastic writings and works of other Church teachers. Multidimensional causes of acedia and its common characteristics that might help identify expressions of this spiritual illness in human life are also discussed.

The article analyses John Paul II’s activities and ideas in the light of his attitude towards the family. Some of his informal and formal writings and their familistic themes are therefore discussed. The analysis shows that even before the beginning of the pontificate, there was a distinct focus on the marriage and family, which was revealed both in his practical pastoral work and in the themes of his educational, theological, philosophical and fictional writings. After becoming Pope, John Paul II continued to maintain this priority and devoted much of his written and unwritten activities to the pastoral care and current affairs of the family, detailing the tasks of the family in the society and the church, and highlighting its social and theological foundations. Through his teaching, he formed the concept of the family as a “civilization of love” encompassing different generations, which becomes especially relevant in today’s sociocultural context experiencing the consequences of pathological individualism.

Can be accept a variety of viewpoints on genetically modified organism, as well as the products made using them. Therefore, the trade regulation rule base is different when considering different countries. It is noted that in particular the European Union member states formed a fairly tight trading policies of genetically modified organism and products. The article deals with analysis of the use of genetically modified products and trade regulation in the European Union. The object of research – the use of genetically modified products and trade regulation in the EU. The aim of the – of the EU’s legal use of genetically modified products and their marketing of documents, it is structured. The study applied the following methods: a comparative analysis of legal documents as well as the synthesis, classification, modeling.

The researches justify the importance of using IT in the process. However, the use of IT in the teaching environment is a new challenge in protecting and enhancing the health of primary students. The natural tendency of children, the need of the use of IT in the process of teaching (learning) necessitates the management of this process. Research aim – to examine expanse’s tendencies of IT in primary education and to reveal the features of creating a healthy teaching (learning) environment for pupils. 237 teachers of primary school from the west of Lithuania have been surveyed. The study showed that primary school teachers and students are not yet appointed with a variety of IT tools. Although almost all of the teachers had computers in their classrooms and almost half of the respondents had a digital projector, only a very small part of the teachers had interactive whiteboards and tablets in their classrooms. Primary schools have purchased different IT tools for co-use, but only few of the teachers have those tools in their classrooms. The lack of IT tools in the classroom limits the possibilities of their use in the education process. The study revealed that the knowledge of the primary students about the safe use of IT tools, healthcare while working with IT is not related to their skills. Children lack the ability to learn practical activities, their application in life situations and healthy behaviours. Although a lot of teachers think that primary students are aware of the safe use of IT and the effect of misuse of IT, only one third or less of primary school teachers agreed that primary students are able to properly sit at the desk using IT, to do eye exercises, to protect their eyesight, to adjust eye and hand movements, etc.

The article aims to reveal the medics’ approach to night shift work in multiprofile hospitals of Lithuania. The night shift medics’ work and it singularity was analysed in several related and summarized aspects: approach to night shift work as a phenomenon (1), the impact of night shift on the physiological needs, health and family (2), the interface of night shift work with the environment and work organization (3). The differences of approaches of doctors and nurses to night shift work were disclosed in the article.

Regional policy is a very dynamic and broad concept. As we can see from Lithuanian regional policy, regions can be formed very flexibly, using different spatial areas (counties as well as municipalities). This is justified by the main purpose of regional policy – dealing with social and economic inequality. The aim of the Government is, therefore, to identify the remote territories and to divert certain assistance in time. The Government, however, uses short-handed instruments, namely economic indicators, for the revealing of problem areas in Lithuania. The article argues that this is not enough: peripherality and accessibility indicators could be calculated for Lithuanian regions. Calculations of data using the formulas presented quite clear picture and tendencies of territorial development. They proved the existence of poor development axes and good development nucleus. The trend towards institutional development of 6 potential regions in Lithuania could be envisaged.

Europos Sąjungos civilinio proceso teisė, nors turėjo galimybių vystytis nuo pat Europos Ekonominės Bendrijos sukūrimo, savo plėtros pagreitį įgavo Europos Sąjungai suteikus kompetenciją civilinio proceso klausimus reglamentuoti antriniais ES teisės aktais. Nors šioje srityje priimta nemažai instrumentų, vis dėlto dėl riboto jų taikymo (tik tarpvalstybinėms situacijoms) jie pasitelkiami retai, taigi neužtikrina visų ES piliečių teisių apsaugos. Susiklosčiusi situacija, kai tą patį klausimą reglamentuoja tiek nacionalinė, tiek ES teisė, taip pat neleidžia visų teisingumui vykdyti skirtų išteklių panaudoti tinkamai ir veiksmingai. Atlikus tyrimą siūloma plėsti taikomo ES reglamentavimo civiliniame procese sritį ir taikyti bendras taisykles sprendžiant tiek nacionalinius, tiek tarptautinius ginčus.

The article examines the consequences of the colllision of two different cultures and eras. It draws on the history of Tilsit as described by the German journalist and historian Ulla Lachauer in her narrative “The Bridge of Tilsit” (“Die Brücke von Tilsit”). Published in 1995, Lachauer’s work offers historical facts and personal impressions of a journey to Sovetsk (1990) in search of the traces of the old Tilsit, which, unexpectedly, led to the author’s discovery of a city marked by an astonishing and, at times, frightening hybridity. The article analyses elements of “The Bridge of Tilsit” that constitute a narrative about the intermingling of cultures and highlight the hybridity of a city previously situated in East Prussia and, today, in the Soviet enclave of Kaliningrad.

The 2008 global economic and financial crisis hit hard in Iceland. During the crisis its three largest banks all collapsed in just a few days with severe consequences for the economy and the people. Prior to the crisis, Iceland, a high income OECD country, had experienced strong growth and unprecedented expansion in overseas investments and activities, especially in the financial sector. This article focuses on the actions of the international community when the Icelandic authorities, during a period of great uncertainty, sought assistance to protect the Icelandic economy before the banking system fell. The methodology used in this article is the case study method. Compared to other research methods, a case study enables the researcher to examine the issues involved in greater depth. Arguably, the governments of the Netherlands and the UK tried to fake reality by suggesting that the Icelandic government, i.e. Icelandic taxpayers, should be made responsible for paying the debts of private banks. The EFTA Court ruling confirms that Iceland did not have this responsibility. In retrospect one can argue that the EU showed dishonesty by supporting the Netherlands and the UK in demanding a sovereign guarantee for failed private banks. The Icelandic banking expansion exposed weaknesses in EU integration and may also confirm a certain incompetence within the EU in designing an EU-wide banking system.

The article aims to show that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs is of great significance and play a crucial rolein almost every nation’s economy and as such have become a major source of employment creation and income generation which inducesinnovation and economic growth. The SMEs sector is of specific importance for the development of the Republic of Moldova.Creating a business environment that fosters small business and entrepreneurship development in Moldova is a key to generatingwider economic growth in the country. As entrepreneurship in Moldova represents a rather new definition and the entrepreneurialactivity is very poor, in this context, the need for SMEs sector support through the creation of stable legal and economic conditionsfavoring entrepreneurial activity development is evident. Empirical research revealed main problems facing Moldovan SMEs, andtheir attitudes to entrepreneurship development.