decentralization of public administration in slovak republic barbora milotová department of...
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Decentralization of Public Administration in Slovak Republic
Barbora MilotováDepartment of Regional Development
Faculty of European Studies and Regional Development
Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra
Content
Basic information about Slovak Republic Aim and functions of Public Administration Historical background of Public
Administration Phased reform of Public Administration
Changes in the structure of PA Changes in scope of powers of PA
Main challenges
Slovak Republic
Area: 49 036 sq kmPopulation: 5.4 millionPop. density: 110 per sq kmPolitical system
parliamental democracy Ethnicity of the population
Slovak (86%)Hungarian (10%), Czech (1%), Romany, Rusyn, Ukrainian, Russian, German, Polish and others(3%)
Terrainmountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south
0,51% of area0,51% of area0,42% of inh.0,42% of inh.(80% of Nanjing)(80% of Nanjing)
GDP by sectors:
agriculture: 3.2% industry: 28.2% services: 69.6%
GDP per capita in PPS: 20.076 $ GDP real growth rate: 6.2% Labor force:
2.2 million people Unemployment rate: 9.5%
Slovakia – rural countryReferring to the OECD method, rural and semi-rural areas are covering 87% of Slovak territory with more than 86% of Slovak inhabitants living in
2 883 settlements, of which 2 745 (95.2%) are in predominantly rural or semi-rural areas and 138 urban settlements.
Administrative-territorial division
Žilina Region
Bratislava Region
Trnava Region
Trenčín Region
Nitra Region
Banská Bystrica Region Košice Region
Prešov Region
Aim of Public Administration
To satisfy public needs and to implement public priorities within the aim to ensure balanced economic
and social development of the whole society and to overcome the poverty
Public sector provides public services that have a character of:
Original public services related to basic function of the state (organization-legislative, security-protective) – collective needs for all nation to secure the running of the society and the state from the point of organization, legislation and institutional system (e.g. justice, police, army)
Mixed public services, communal as well as individual, that can be provide either by private or public sector (e.g. education, social security, health services, technical and social infrastructure)
Functions of Public Administration
To provide services in sufficient quantity and guality to all or to individuals who have special needs. These services are provided either for free or in form of fees or allowments
Redistribution of central public resources to public institutions and funds that provide public services
To design and implement policies in areas of: Health services, Social security, Education and culture, Research & Development, Technical and social infrustructure constraction, Protection of the environment
Historical background
Untill 1947
Origins of state administration in the territory of Slovakia go back to the 9th century
Origins of self-governance go back to 13th century (towns)
Changes during periods of various forms of monarchy and later Republic period from the territorial administration of aristocracy
through monarchist administration system up to state authorities and institutions of the Czechoslovak Republic in 1918
Transfer of power from the regional self-government level to more centralized state administration
1923: Abolishment of self-government
1947 – 1990 – period of Czechoslovak Socialistic Republic Integrated model – integration of the state
administration and self-government where local and regional self-government are the part of state administration (they had neither priorities nor own financial sources to implement decisions)
3 tiers of national committies : regional – district – municipality
1969: federalization – autonomy in mixed public services provision
1971: decentralization of central state power to the regional national committies in the field of economic development of the region
After 1989fall of socialism
transformation process to democratic system
Why reorganization of PA through decentralization?The main philosophy:
„We are convinced that decentralized state brings the possibility for the better use of the human, production
and natural potential of Slovakia for all citizens. It is the tool to change the point of view of Slovak citizens
to the state; not to see the state just as the institution but as a commonwealth of citizens who have a common interest on its [the state] prosperity.”
Viktor NižňanskýCommissioner of the Government of SR for the
decentralization of Public Administration
Why reorganization of PA through decentralization?
PRINCIPLE OF SUBSIDIARITY to solve the problems and make decisions on such
levels that are the most capable for it
Higher participation of citizens in the public administration
To enhance the position and competencies of territorial self-governance
Phased reform of Public Administration
Changes in the structure of Public Administration• Phase 1990 – 1991• Phase 1996 – 2000• Phase 2000 – 2009
Changes in scope of powers in Public Administration2000: Introduction the Concept of decentralization
and modernization of the public administration
1. Decentralization of competencies (2000-2004)2. Deconcentration of competencies (2004)3. Financial decentralization (2004)
Changes in the structure of Public Administration
I. Phase 1990 – 1991
II. Phase 1996 – 2000
III. Phase 2000 – 2009
State administration
Regional level
Local level
3 regions
33 districts
Before 1989
District an
d
sub
-district
level
State administration
Regional level
Local level
3 regions
33 districts
District an
d
sub
-district
level
I. Phase 1990 – 1991
38 districts
121 sub-districts
Self-government
2825 municipalities
State administration
Regional level
Local level
8 regions
38 districts
District an
d
sub
-district
level
II. Phase 1996 – 2000
79 districts
121 sub-districts
Self-government
2883 municipalities
State administration
Regional level
Local level
8 regions
79 districts
III. Phase 2000 – 2009
District an
d
sub
-district
level
Self-government
2891 municipalities
8 higher territorial units (HTU)
sub-districts
Structure of Public Administration
8 Higher territorial units (HTU)
2891 municipalities
Regional level
Local level
National level
State public sector Self-government public sector
GovernmentMinistriesCentral State Administration Bodies
network of offices ofspecialized state administration directly subordinated to ministries
no relationship of superiority
Changes in scope of powers in Public Administration
Concept of decentralization and modernization of the public
administration
1. Decentralization of competencies (2000-2004)
2. Deconcentration of competencies (2004)
3. Financial decentralization (2005)
1. Decentralization of competencies (2000-2004)
More than 400 competencies were transferred from state administration to self-governments (local, regional)
Self-governments – Municipalities and higher territorial units (HTU) - legal entities
Self-governance – is implemented through activities of elected bodies, citizens’ vote, local referendum and public assemblies
Citizens of municipality
MayorMembers of
the Assembly
Municipal office
Municipal police
Office depts.
Council
Commissions
Auditor
Municipalities and HTU bodiesCitizens of the region
Head of the HTU
Assembly of the HTU
Office of the HTU
Office units
Commissions
Chief Auditor’s
dept.
1. Decentralization of competencies (2000-2004)
Original= competencies given by the law
Transferred state administration duties= competencies under the responsibility of state administration, but performed by the self-government
Competencies
MUNICIPALITIES HIGHER TERRITORIAL UNITS
Transferred state administration duties
registry offices, the construction orderand a section of duties in the education sector
a section of powers in the education sector, healthcare sector and road
transport
Original powers
Technical infrastructure maintenance and construction
local roads, public areas, green areas, water management, sewer system, municipal waste
2nd and 3rd class roads
Social infrastructure maintenance and construction
housing, pre-school and school establishments, social establishments, policlinics, certain hospitals
secondary schools, hospitals, certain social service establishments (retirement homes, social services for children, crises centres, children’s homes, etc.), cultural establishments (galleries, museums, theatres, certain libraries, etc.)
Service provision
public transport, cleanness, culture, certification of documents, certain offences, municipal police
participation in civil defence, licensing of pharmacies and private physicians,
territorial planning, local development, participation in regional planning,
collection of local taxes and fees, nature and environment protection
territorial planning, regional development, own investment activities
Main problems of decentralization
Unclear competencies between
HTU municipalities
in specific areas of social welfare
Due to small sizes and fragmentation of municipalities – threat of insufficient provision of duties
2. Deconcentration of competencies (2004)
To increase of the efficiency and quality of management in state administration
The transfer of more than 400 powers from the state administration to municipalities and higher
territorial units
Abolishment of regional and district state administration offices The network of offices of specialized state administration directly subordinated to ministries
2. Deconcentration of competencies (2004)
The basic areas of state administration: creation of economic, regional (shared with municipalities
and regions), foreign and security policies; defence, civil protection, fire brigade, justice, prison service,
customs and currency affairs; tax offices (except for local taxes); labour and employment
services offices; Technical infrastructure maintenance and construction:
railways, motorway system, 1st class roads, airports (the responsibility for regional airports is shared with municipalities and regions);
selected healthcare, cultural and school establishments (the responsibility is shared with municipalities and regions), universities;
nature protection
2. Deconcentration of competencies (2004)
Main problem:
Overlapping of competencies between specialized local state administration
and self-governments
3. Decentralization of finances (2005)
Aims: To strengthen the independence and responsibility of
territorial self-government in the process of decision-making on the use of public funds when providing services to people,
The stabilization of self-government revenues over a longer period of time (tax reform, local taxes),
To create conditions for financial planning for several years ahead (3-years budget plans),
Introduction of a fair and transparent system of financing based on specific measurable criteria (introduction of programming budgeting).
3. Decentralization of finances (2005)
Realized through tax reform:1. Introduction of local taxes for municipalities and HTU
property tax, dog tax, public area use tax, accommodation tax, slot machine tax, gaming machine tax, tax on entry of historical centers of towns and nuclear facility tax
2. Redistribution of personal income taxUsing the formula according to their specifications
Redistribution
6.2 %state budget revenue 70.3%
revenues of municipalities
23.5%revenues of HTU
Summary
Main changes in Public Administration were made since 2000
Regional level of self-government was introduced 400 duties were transferred from state administration
to self-government To increase the efficiency and the quality of
management of state administration the deconcentration of state administration was done
Fiscal decentralization brought the independence to self-government and increased the efficiency and the quality of self-government
Nowadays challenges
Fragmentation of municipalities
Small size of municipalities
Low efficiency of their management
Process of municipalization
(integration of municipalities)
Number of inhabitans
Number of mun.
Share in %
to 499 1174 40,6%
500-999 775 26,8%
1000-4999 814 28,2%
5000-49999 117 4,0%
above 50000 11 0,4%
sum 2891 100,0%
Process of municipalization
Possibilities Intercommunal communities Common municipality offices (until today
234) Syndicates and town communities
How?1. Voluntary integration of municipalities2. Integration forced by law
