Journal of Governance and Regulation / Volume 3, Issue 2, 2014 EVALUATION OF THE FIRST OUTCOMES OF DECENTRALIZATION REFORM WITH “KALLIKRATIS PLAN” IN GREECE: THE CASE OF ILIDA’S MUNICIPALITY Eleni Sofianou*, Dimitrios Goulas**, Georgia Kontogeorga***, Kassiani Droulia**** Abstract Many countries, not only in the European Union but also throughout the world, are adopting decentralization reforms in order to empower local communities. Decentralization is the process of transferring authority, responsibility and accountability from central to local governments. To accomplish this, Greek government applied the Law 3852/10 «Kallikratis plan», reforming the local self administration and its duties. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of the conceptual framework analysis of the relation between decentralization and democratic local governance in Greece, to explore opportunities and propose ways to establish or further strengthen democracy at the local level. Keywords: Public Administration, Municipalities, Local Self-Government, Decentralization, “Kallikratis” Project * Corresponding author, Municipality of Ilida, Dimos Ilidas, Gortinias 7, Amaliada Ilias Tel.: +30 2623 023106 Fax: +30 26223 60501 E-mail: [email protected] ** Postgraduate student of Hellenic Open University, Patras, Greece *** Corresponding author, University of Patras, Rio-Patras, Greece, Tel.: +30 2610 969696 Fax: +30 2610 969664 E-mail: [email protected] **** Postgraduate student of Hellenic Open University, Patras, Greece 1 Introduction - Financial decentralization (access to resources) For over thirty years, decentralization has been a key - Administrative decentralization (functional component of the institutional design adopted in responsibility). many OECD countries and the European Union. Many governments are now decentralizing Today, throughout the world there is a broad-based responsibilities for service and infrastructure movement towards greater decentralization. It is provision, financing and management. The questions commonly accepted that our societies can be concerning which services should be decentralized, governed more effectively if decisions are taken at a how they should be financed, which organizational level that is as close as possible to the needs of the arrangements are most feasible and effective still communities they affect. In that case, decisions are remain open and in some countries hotly debated. based on better information, are more clearly (Rondinelli et al, 1989) understandable and more responsive to the local On this direction, Greece, in 2011 applied an needs (OECD, 2003). ambitious structural change in public administration Decentralization is the transfer of authority, that incorporates some main political values of its responsibility and accountability from central to local governance: transparency, good laws, democratic governments. Decentralization is typically viewed as decentralization, accountability and participation. having several dimensions that reflect, in general This accomplished by reforming the local self terms, increasing and often sequential stages of administration and its duties by the Law 3852/10 progress in achieving the governance objectives of «Kallikratis plan» . decentralization (Barnett et al, 1997). These forms After more than a year of its appliance we make are: an effort to track down the problems of its appliance, - Political Decentralization (accountability) explore opportunities and make proposals to overleap 7 Journal of Governance and Regulation / Volume 3, Issue 2, 2014 difficulties and improve decentralization and local governance after the first year of its democratic local governance. We take into account implementation we used the case of Ilida’s all the former work that has be done to this direction municipality. And that, because it is a medium-sized from Central Union of Greek Municipalities and municipality as are the majority of municipalities in Communities (2011a, 2011b, 2011c), the Institute of Greece. local government (2010), and studies (Alexopoulou, The methodology of our survey contain the 2010) etc combination of both quantitative and qualitative research as it is the most effective methodology for a 2 Kallikratis Plan complete description and a reliable examination of a case analysis. Our aim was to collect the quantitative «Kallikratis plan», applied in Greece, is substantially data by the structured questionnaires and in the continuity of Law 2539/97 «Kapodistrias plan» combination to the qualitative data collected by the and its name originates from one of the two architects interviews to be able to relate the results and provide of Parthenon. It is a structural change that the most valid possible analysis. The sampling incorporates some main political values of our research is made by questionnaires filled out by the governance: transparency, good laws, democratic employees of Ilida’s municipality and by interviews decentralization, accountability and participation. to all the elected officials of Ilida’s municipality. From 1 January 2011, in accordance with Law The sample of the quantitative research was a 3852/2010 «New Architect of Self-administration and quite representative proportion of the total, as we the Decentralized Administration – Kallikratis plan», collected a sample of 70 questionnaires, while the the administrative system of Greece was drastically total number of employees that work at Ilida’s overhauled. The former system of 13 regions, 54 municipality was 190. The sample covers all the prefectures, and 1034 municipalities and communities education categories, as 33 questionnaires were filled was replaced by 7 decentralized administrations, 13 out by employees of university education, 10 were regions and 325 municipalities. The regions and filled out by employees of technological education, municipalities are fully self-governed while the 21 of secondary education and 6 by employees of decentralized administrations are run by a general compulsory education. Thus, the sample used covers secretary appointed by the Greek government. The the 37 % of the total population from which 47 % Monastic State of the Holy Mountain, as an have university education, 14 % have technological autonomous self-governing entity, is still exempted education, 30 % have secondary and 9 % have from such reforms. compulsory education. On the other hand, the «Kallikratis plan» generates the greatest qualitative research applied by the interviews to the decentralization of jurisdictions, the largest shift of elected officials of Ilida’s municipality shows an political power, establishing a new system of overall view as all the elected officials have been governance aiming at the achievement of local interviewed. development and the best possible provision of services to citizens. The municipalities turn into 4 Results Analysis powerful units of local development and, based on the human and financial resources transferred from Both the evidence set out after the completion of the the abolished prefectural self-government, takes applied research on Ilida’s municipality and the charge of numerous new jurisdictions in various theoretical framework which it support, identify fields such as in the sector of Environment, the of effective democratic decentralization as the most Quality of Life and Proper Cities’ Function, the urgent challenge to good municipal governance. Social Protection and Solidarity, the Agricultural According to the results of the quantitative research Development, Livestock and Fishing e.t.c. applied in Ilida’s municipality, the majority of the (Mentoring SA, 2011) questioned employees believe that «Kallikratis plan» The regional self-administration received all gave a sufficient number of jurisdictions to LSGs those jurisdictions of the abolished prefectural self- (Local Self Governments). When it comes to the administration which are implemented more qualitative research, all the interviewed elected efficiently on a regional scale. In addition, some of officials also claimed that it gave a considerable the jurisdictions belonging to the central region, number of jurisdictions to local organizations. So, we except for those that have a sheer state character, come up with the conclusion that Law 3852/10 remain to the decentralized central administration. «Kallikratis plan» has given many jurisdictions to local governments. 3 The Research Methodology A considerable administrative decentralization has been achieved as L.S.G.s have been transferred, In order to obtain an overview about whether Law fully or partially, of an array of functional 3852/10 «Kallikratis plan» has achieved the further responsibilities, such as health care services, the decentralization from the central government to local operation of schools, the management of service governments and the establishment of democratic personnel, the building and maintenance of roads, the 8 Journal of Governance and Regulation / Volume 3, Issue 2, 2014 garbage collection etc. We can also claim that democratic local governance extends municipal political decentralization has been partially achieved governance away from councilors and administrators as there is a significant transfer of political authority to include the community. Efforts must concentrate to the local level as they have a sufficient level of on building a regime where the systemic incentives authority concerning urban infrastructure, local promote accountability and public responsiveness to officials are democratically