5. Slovakian Rural Parliament Vidiecky Parlament Na Slovensku Vipa
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5.5. SLOVAKIANSLOVAKIAN RURALRURAL PARLIAMENTPARLIAMENT,, S LOVAKIAN R URAL P ARLIAMENT, VIPA .5 VVIIDDIIEECCKKYY PPAARRLLAAMMEENNTT NNAA SSLLOOVVEENNSSKKUU VIPAVIPA State Regional and District Authorities Branches of some State authorities are organised at regional or district levels, without co-terminous T he national context boundaries with the regional local authorities. There are separate regional Ministry offices for envi- ronment, transport, social affairs and education. There are also over 30 Regional Development The Nation Slovakia became an independent country on 1 January 1993, after the break-up of the Agencies. Czech and Slovak Federal Republic. This followed a history of almost constant occupation since the 7th Century. In May 2004, Slovakia entered the European Union. It has a total land area of 49,035 Regional Councils The Regional Councils are statutory, locally elected bodies, established in square kilometres, and a population of 5.4 million, with a fairly high density of 109 persons per Km2. January 2002 at the request of the EU, as a condition for the delivery of Structural funds and regional policy and to enable subsidiarity to operate. Their main role is to guarantee the development Economically, the country suffered from the transition from a Communist to market system. The for- of the regions and to fulfil the principles of regional policy and the law for regional development. They mer markets were lost along with the important armaments industry. This led to instability, high have statutory responsibility for regional development, and for preparing regional territorial, strate- unemployment and low incomes. The rural areas in particular were very badly hit, with a massive gic and action plans, which set the framework within which other bodies must operate. The Regional decline in agriculture, jobs and resulting in out-migration. Then came the challenge of accession to Councils are also responsible for delivering infrastructure and major services - health, education, cul- the EU, placing requirements on the Government to align with the economic and structural condi- ture, environment, social care and transport. The Regional Councils have no control over the tions of the EU. Municipalities, which are responsible to the citizens and are independent partners, with competen- cies defined by law. Some of the Regions also carry out State responsibilities, such as social affairs Administration Slovak administration is composed of State bodies at national, regional and dis- and health care. The Regional Councils are elected every 4 years, with 1 representative per 12- trict levels, plus regional councils and Municipalities. The main elements are: 15,000 people: the Chairperson of each Council is directly elected by the citizens. President Elected every 5 years by the National Council Parliament The National Council with 150 members Local government In Slovakia, the village has traditionally been at the heart of the structure and National Government 19 Ministries culture of the rural areas. The pre-Communist tradition of local government was focused on the vil- Regional Government 8 regional local authorities lage and its powerful mayor. In 1974, the Communist government established a centralised system State regional authorities at many levels of local administration, with one central village and a group of satellite villages. The villages had no District Authorities 79 Districts say in this decision, and the loss of village autonomy was resented. In 1989-90, following indepen- Local Government 2,878 Municipalities dence in Czechoslovakia, the villages rejected this system in favour of their previous autonomy and Micro-regions 150 non-statutory partnerships at local level insisted upon the re-creation of Municipalities at village level. This was a reaction against the State control of the Communist period, and was therefore politically very sensitive. When seeking to understand the Rural Parliament, the most significant elements of public adminis- tration are the regions, the local authorities and the micro-regions. Municipalities There are currently 2,878 Municipalities, of which 138 are towns and 2,740 (95%) are rural villages. The rural settlement structure is dominated by small villages of less than 500 peo- Regional Government The country was traditionally divided into a number of regions and sub- ple, the smallest with a population of only 9. Every village, no matter how small, has a Municipality, regions, dating back to an earlier period in Slovak history. These still hold some cultural importance with all of the powers and responsibilities of a local authority. Its responsibilities include local plan- and local allegiance, but are no longer represented through the formal administrative structures. ning and the delivery of local services such as roads, street lighting, water and waste services, public During the Communist period, the role of regional government was removed. This was reinstated in buildings and facilities, kindergartens, primary schools and emergency services. It is also responsible the administrative reforms of 2001, when Slovakia was divided into 8 entirely new regions, with a for local economic development and cultural activities. Such responsibilities must be carried out often regional local authority in each - see map below. with only 1 paid staff member and little professional support. Funding for local government is cur- rently very poor and awaiting fiscal reforms. Slovakia - Administrative regions Unions of local authorities There are national associations of Municipalities - the Union of Towns and Villages; and the Association of Towns and Villages of Slovakia. These have regional structures and are strong lobby organisations to the Government. At regional level they also work together on big infrastructure projects, such as sewerage schemes. Micro-regions The small scale of many Municipalities, and the limit on their financial ability to undertake big projects, point towards the benefits that may come if they can work together. Municipalities can set up a common office for certain responsibilities: but a more common pattern is the creation of micro-regions. Micro-regions are voluntary partnerships of Municipalities, NGOs and private businesses, established at differing scales to solve mutual problems. There is a strong movement to create micro-regions: the first was created in 1992 and there are now 224. They have appeared in response to the pro- blems of Municipalities, the increased size of the regions, and the EU requirement for ‘partnership’. Micro-regions have increasing importance in the Slovak system, and are seen by some as the basic building blocks for the programming and planning of rural development at local level. They enable 94 95 5.5. SLOVAKIANSLOVAKIAN RURALRURAL PARLIAMENTPARLIAMENT,, S LOVAKIAN R URAL P ARLIAMENT, VIPA .5 VVIIDDIIEECCKKYY PPAARRLLAAMMEENNTT NNAA SSLLOOVVEENNSSKKUU VIPAVIPA State Regional and District Authorities Branches of some State authorities are organised at regional or district levels, without co-terminous T he national context boundaries with the regional local authorities. There are separate regional Ministry offices for envi- ronment, transport, social affairs and education. There are also over 30 Regional Development The Nation Slovakia became an independent country on 1 January 1993, after the break-up of the Agencies. Czech and Slovak Federal Republic. This followed a history of almost constant occupation since the 7th Century. In May 2004, Slovakia entered the European Union. It has a total land area of 49,035 Regional Councils The Regional Councils are statutory, locally elected bodies, established in square kilometres, and a population of 5.4 million, with a fairly high density of 109 persons per Km2. January 2002 at the request of the EU, as a condition for the delivery of Structural funds and regional policy and to enable subsidiarity to operate. Their main role is to guarantee the development Economically, the country suffered from the transition from a Communist to market system. The for- of the regions and to fulfil the principles of regional policy and the law for regional development. They mer markets were lost along with the important armaments industry. This led to instability, high have statutory responsibility for regional development, and for preparing regional territorial, strate- unemployment and low incomes. The rural areas in particular were very badly hit, with a massive gic and action plans, which set the framework within which other bodies must operate. The Regional decline in agriculture, jobs and resulting in out-migration. Then came the challenge of accession to Councils are also responsible for delivering infrastructure and major services - health, education, cul- the EU, placing requirements on the Government to align with the economic and structural condi- ture, environment, social care and transport. The Regional Councils have no control over the tions of the EU. Municipalities, which are responsible to the citizens and are independent partners, with competen- cies defined by law. Some of the Regions also carry out State responsibilities, such as social affairs Administration Slovak administration is composed of State bodies at national, regional and dis- and health care. The Regional Councils are elected every 4 years, with 1 representative per 12- trict levels, plus regional councils and Municipalities. The main elements are: 15,000 people: the Chairperson of each Council is directly elected