Kategorijų – vykdomoji valdžia, valstybinis valdymas (administravimas) ir viešasis administravimas – samprata ir santykis Lietuvos administracinėje teisėje.

The subject of the Paper is an analysis of the key categories used in administrative law of Lithuania, because their number was gradually increasing after the restoration of Independence and the issues bound with their interrelations are not widely discussed upon in scientific references. Immediately after the restoration of Independence (11 March, 1990), the basis of regulation of administrative law in Lithuania was the state governing, then, after the transfer to the state power organizing in accordance with the doctrine on power distribution recognized in democratic states, the category of „executive authorities“ was started to use simultaneously in administrative law. Both above-mentioned categories were used for a period about ten years; however, the category of „state governing“ preserved its prior dominating position in theory and practice of administrative law. Since June 1999, one more new category, i.e. „public administration“, started to be used in administrative law of Lithuania. The concepts of „executive authorities“, „state governing (administration)“ and „public administration“ differ in the extent of governing and the subjects involved in implementation of the above-mentioned activities. The term „executive authorities“ is narrower than the concepts of „state governing (administration)“ and „public administration“. It is the narrowest category among the above-listed in respect of extent, however, it is the basis of the said categories in the functional and institutional aspects. Namely, institutions of the executive authorities form the organization structure of the said systems and in fact ensures a state governing. On the other hand, the executive authorities are provided the key power for implementation of laws and other important problems of state governing. If assessed in the context of Lithuania, the term „state governing (administration)“ is wider than the concept „executive authorities“. Such a opinion is supposed on the base of the provisions of the Law of Republic of Lithuania on Public Administration. In addition to executive authorities, the subjects of state administration include institutions that are not a part of the system of institutions of executive authorities, however, engaged in execution of functions of executive character (public administration). This group includes institutions responsible and accountable to Seimas of Republic of Lithuania or the President of the Republic. The term „public administration“ unites the both abovementioned categories, i.e. the concepts of „executive authorities“ and „state governing (administration)“ are constituent parts of this term, so the category of „public administration“ may be treated as the widest concept. It should be noted that the term „public administration“ also involves local selfgoverning institutions that are not considered subjects of state administration and other administration subjects provided with public administration functions that are delegated to them by the state according to the procedure set in laws and other legal norms.Atkūrus nepriklausomybę laipsniškai kito (plėtėsi) svarbiausios Lietuvos administracinės teisės vartojamos kategorijos. Iki 1990 m. kovo 11 d. Lietuvos administracinės teisės reguliavimo pagrindą sudarė valstybinis valdymas, o po nurodytos datos perėjus prie valstybės valdžios organizavimo remiantis demokratinėse valstybėse pripažinta valdžių padalijimo doktrina, administracinėje teisėje pradėta vartoti ir kategorija „vykdomoji valdžia“. Beveik dešimtmetį buvo vartojamos abi minėtos kategorijos, tačiau administracinės teisės teorijoje bei praktikoje kaip ir anksčiau dažniausiai buvo vartojama kategorija „valstybinis valdymas“. Nuo 1999 m. birželio mėn. plačiai pradėta vartoti dar viena nauja Lietuvos administracinėje teisėje kategorija – „viešasis administravimas“. Minėtų trijų kategorijų tarpusavio santykiai šiandienos Lietuvos administracinėje teisėje nėra analizuoti, todėl kyla tam tikros painiavos. Šis straipsnis ir skirtas šių svarbiausių administracinės teisės kategorijų santykiui atskleisti