DOCTORAL STUDIES

As the Law Institute of the Lithuanian Centre for Social Sciences won the competitive doctoral position established by the Research Council of Lithuania (RCL), an agreement was reached with Mykolas Romeris University to jointly conduct doctoral studies in the field of social sciences within the discipline of Law (01S). The doctoral studies are carried out in accordance with the Mykolas Romeris University and Vytautas Magnus University Doctoral Regulations in the field of law, approved by the Senate of Mykolas Romeris University on June 2, 2017 by Resolution No. 1SN-24, as well as in accordance with the Republic of Lithuania Law on Higher Education and Research, the founding documents of the Law institute of Lithuanian Centre for Social Sciences and Mykolas Romeris University, the Regulations for Science and Doctoral Studies and other relevant legislation. The doctoral studies are financed from the European Union structural funds.

Topic of doctoral research – - Topic of doctoral research – "Prevention of Manipulation of Sports Competitions".

Doctoral supervisor – dr. Salomėja Zaksaitė.

Doctoral student – Irma Venckuvienė.

Doctoral thesis – "Experience of combating manipulation in sports competitions in Europe and Lithuania: theoretical, comparative legal and criminological aspects".

The dissertation aims not only to evaluate the commendable Lithuanian initiatives and critically review what preventive measures Lithuania lacks, but to select the best initiatives applied in foreign countries and present them so that they can be learned from as well. The dissertation will also draw attention to the attitude of European gambling regulators towards certain aspects related to the manipulation of sports competitions. In addition, the role of gambling authorities in different European countries when contributing to the fight against manipulation of sporting events will be explained. The work aims to present the opinion of representatives of certain sports-related entities regarding the problem of manipulation of sports competitions, their assessment of the prevention of manipulation of sports competitions in Lithuania and the perspectives they see in this field. The listed studies will be carried out using, among other methodology, the inductive method. Partially structured interviews with experts from public and private sectors, specializing in the manipulation of sporting competitions will be conducted.

 

Interim results

On 1 December 2022, I. Venckuvienė participated in an international scientific conference organised by the Lithuanian University of Sport, during which a presentation was given by journalist and researcher Steve Menary (United Kingdom) on the topic "Match-fixing, money laundering and the threat to football".

On 17 June 2022, a meeting of the Seimas Commission for Youth and Sports was held to discuss the legal regulation of manipulation of high-level sports competitions.

On 12 May 2022 in the Kaunas office of the Training Centre of the Police Department under the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania I. Venckuvienė participated in a training course on the prevention of betting and match-fixing for police officers. The participants were introduced to the principles of betting organisation and how betting offers can be linked to dirty deals in sport.

An interview with the journalist Saulius Ramoška in March 2021 on the subject of the dissertation, which led to the publication of an article on suspicious sports betting on the website www.alfa.lt on 15 March 2021, titled "Suspicious betting on sports: a calm first half of 2020 and an increase in the number of warnings".

Participation in the IntegriSport Erasmus+ project conference on 10 March 2021 to share partners' experiences and good practices.

An interview with journalist Linas Jocius in December 2020 on the issue of manipulation of high-performance sport competitions in Lithuania, which led to the publication of the article "Shadow Schemes that involve even the best athletes: once you're stuck, there may be no turning back" on the website www.delfi.lt  on 27 December 2020.

On 3-4 December 2020, participated in the Sports Forum organised by the Lithuanian University of Sport - International Scientific Conference "Management of Athletes' Training", where a presentation on the topic of manipulation of sports competitions was given by Doc. Dr. Vassilis Barkoukis (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece).

Participation in a e-conference-discussion organised by the Council of Europe on 24 November 2020 on "Launching a common framework against the manipulation of sports competitions: the Macolin Convention".

On 26 October 2020 participated in the e-conference organised by the Vilnius Branch of the Lithuanian National Group of the European Law Students' Association ELSA Lithuania "Sports Law: Agreed Matches", during which, as a speaker at the event, experience and insights on sports law and fixed matches were shared.

As the Law Institute of the Lithuanian Centre for Social Sciences won the competitive doctoral position established by the Research Council of Lithuania (RCL), an agreement was made with Mykolas Romeris University to jointly conduct doctoral studies in the field of social sciences within the discipline of Law (01S). The doctoral studies are carried out in accordance with the Mykolas Romeris University and Vytautas Magnus University Doctoral Regulations in the field of law, approved by the Senate of Mykolas Romeris University on June 2, 2017 by Resolution No. 1SN-24, as well as in accordance with the Republic of Lithuania Law on Higher Education and Research, the founding documents of the Law institute of Lithuanian Centre for Social Sciences and Mykolas Romeris University, the Regulations for Science and Doctoral Studies and other relevant legislation. The doctoral studies are financed from the European Union structural funds.

Topic of doctoral research – – "Research on the implementation of the “cutting off criminal gain“ goal".

Doctoral supervisor – Dr. Skirmantas Bikelis.

Doctoral student – Liutauras Lukošius.

Doctoral thesis – "Criminal Liability for Fraudulent Accounting".

The dissertation aims to provide both criminological insights into fraudulent accounting, revealing the most harmful and therefore punishable forms of this phenomenon, as well as legal – systemic assessments of the regulation. In the context of criminological insights, the system of the existing liabilities for fraudulent accounting, concepts and regulatory models are examined. The advantages and disadvantages of the regulatory model and specific norm (Article 222 of the Criminal Code) applied in Lithuania are evaluated, as well as the good and problematic practices of the implementation of liability for fraudulent accounting, including the issues with the efficiency and proportionality of the liability.

 

Interim results

Scientific articles:

The journal "Jurisprudence" publishes an article entitled "Fraud and Consequences as Signatures of Fraudulent Accounting".


Conferences:

Conference “European Trends and Challendes in the Criminal Policy”. Presentation “Fighting Tax Crime: The Ten Global Principles”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMJZTQgFKdU

International SOCIN’22 Conference. Presentation “Financial Crime: Fraudulent Accounting and Forensic Accountig Expertise”.

Online conference “Corruption - Behind The Shadows Today”. Presentation "Trading in Influence: Alleged Influence - a Good or a Service?"

Conference "Assistance to Victims of Crime: the European and Lithuanian Experience". Presentation 'Victims of Property Crime: Possibilities and Realities”.


Internships:

Internship under a programme „PROM – International Scholarships Exchange of Doctoral Students and Academic Staff” funded by the Republic of Poland. University of Warmia and Mazury (Olsztyn, Poland).