Lithuania is behind its neighbors, but in that country there are indications that public participation initiatives are gaining momentum and the previously mentioned ombudsman law is encouraging. Geography, demographics and political history have combined to form a fertile ground for the growth of strong public participation elements in these countries. Whether the obstacles prove to be too great, or the mix of factors proves to be the right one for public participation, the rest of Central and Eastern Europe should pay attention. First, they must be prepared for frustration. Apart from the extremely complex problems connected with environmental issues - problems of proof and causation, lack of scientific knowledge, inherent uncertainty of risk assessment, identifying defendants, etc.
Environmental cases are frightening to most judges because of their enormity and complexity.
Judges would much rather put them aside and work on simple cases. Secondly, they must be prepared to take risks. For today's nouveau riche, the stakes are high. There is a growing perception that if a lawyer wants to work for private companies, he should not represent the public in environmental issues. In one country a lawyer who filed a complaint about a company that wanted to build a petrol station in the city center lost significant business opportunities.