The State intends to grant more authority and responsibility to notaries, Minister of Justice says

2014-10-20,www.notarurumai.lt
The State intends to grant more authority and responsibility to notaries, Minister of Justice says

High quality of notarial services motivates the State to increase notaries’ authorities and expanding their functions, Minister of Justice Juozas Bernatonis says.
He was addressing the international conference „The 10th Anniversary Of The Lithuania‘S Membership To The European Union: The Lithuanian Notariate – It Is A Bridge Between West And East“, which was held by Lithuanian Chamber of Notaries in Vilnius on October 20, 2014. The conference was attended by notaries from the European Union member states as well as Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Russian Federation.
"High qualifications of notarial community, their accumulated skills constantly motivate competent governmental bodies to discuss issues of granting additional authority to notaries", - Minister Bernatonis said.
According to the Minister, the draft amendments of the Law on Notaries envision granting notaries powers of issuing enforcement records related to notarized deeds, as well as providing mediation services and authenticating documents with Apostille.
Marius Stračkaitis, a president of Lithuanian Chamber of Notaries, introduced new legislation against the unlawful enrichment, which will become effectife as of January 1, 2015. According to the legal amendmends, approved by Lithuanian Parliament following the initiative by Lithuania’s President Dalia Grybauskaitė, loans in cash exceeding 10 thousand Litas (3 thousand euros) should be notarized, as well as buying of selling companies’ shares exceeding 25 per cent of stock or valued more than 50 thounsand Litas (14.5 thousand euros). Notarization is also obligatory for the bills exceeding 10 thousand Litas.
"The abovementioned amendments mean not only increasing quantity of notarial deeds, increased amount of work and income. These amendments create new challenges and responsibilities to notaries. We feel responsible of providing qualified and competent services, therefore we intend to arrange additional training to notaries by the end of this year", Mr. Stračkaitis said.
The conference in Vilnius was dedicated to the 10th anniversary of membership at the Council of Notariates of European Union. Lithuanian notaries became members of European notarial organization in 2004, after Lithuania’s accession to the EU.