The following article discusses relationship between autonomy and public interest after the Restoration of Lithuanian Independence. It is stated that a seek for freedom, autonomy, assurance of human rights fostered for decades have become a favourable soil for provisions of autonomy to appear, later step by step they took root not only in political and legal consciousness, but also in public discourse. It is revealed that autonomy is independent, critical, rational efforts of individuals or institutions to remove obstacles interfering with the public interest in both symbolic and practical space. Such an expression of autonomy implies an active and autonomous person, a ration person who is motivated for public interest, rational person, critically reflecting and enriching its experience and expanding its boundaries. The author here sees sociocultural meaning and value not only of person but also of institutions, groups and communities. It is stated that a danger for autonomy of institutions arises when it is tried to assign them tasks which do comply with their functional purpose, even though these tasks correspond to the public interest. The author also sees malformation of autonomy to pseudo-autonomy when it without any exceptions is applied to the areas if activities of the institution in which autonomy under the view of public interest shall not be applied. In conclusion, even if autonomy in space of public life experiences a lot of challenges it is a significant personal and public value, refusal of which would mean destroying things that are the most valuable to pluralist Western civilisation
