LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT IN SLOVENIA

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LOCAL SELF- GOVERNMENT IN SLOVENIA
2
Legal context

• Slovenia is a "territorially unified and
  indivisible State (art. 4 of the Constitution).
• It has a bicameral parliament
• a lower house the National Assembly, 90 members,
  elected for a 4-year term  
• an upper house the National Council, 40 members
  (including local representatives), elected for a
  5-year term
• Article 9 of the 1991 Constitution guarantees
  local self-government
• It gives people the right to exercise the powers
  and duties that are linked to local
  self-government through autonomous bodies and
  other local authorities.
• The decentralization process was initiated in
  1993 by adopting a series of acts relating to
  municipalities (amongst others the 1993
  Self-government Act) and by organizing local
  elections in 1994.

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Municipality

• Municipality
• Basic administrative unit, having at least 5000
  inhabitants

• Municipal Commission
• Monitors and controls
• Protects consumers

• Municipal
• Council
• Deliberative power
• Elected for a 4-year term (list system)
• 7 to 45 members

• Mayor
• Executive power
• Elected for a 4-year term (direct vote)
• Chairs the municipal council
• Runs the municipality

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Municipality's responsibilities

• General issues
• Law and order, police
• Fire fighting
• Protection of the citizenry

• Health
• nursery, day care
• Family and youth support
• Retirement home
• Social security
• Health protection

• Education
• Extracurricular education
• Primary education
• Adult education

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Municipality's responsibilities

• Urban development
• Housing
• Spatial planning
• Urbanism

• Economic services
• Gas
• Trade, industry
• Tourism
• Agriculture
• Urban heating system

• Environment
• Water purification
• Waste disposal
• Consumer protection
• Funeral services
• Environmental protection

• Culture
• Theatres, museums, libraries
• Green spaces
• Sport and leisure activities

11 municipalities have an urban status (mesto
obcina) which is granted by parliament on the
basis of socio-economic and demographic criteria.
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Municipalitys staff

• Four categories
• Local government staff mayor, deputy mayor and
  chief-executive
• Senior staff advisors to the mayor (in some
  cases special advisors) are appointed by the
  municipal council during the mayoral election,
  dont have a local government staffs special
  status
• Administrative staff clerks, workers and
  auxiliary staff are appointed by the mayor, they
  benefit from local government staffs special
  status
• technical/expert staff experts, executive
  directors, etc., are appointed by the mayor.

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Region
1991 Municipalities can form larger communities
province
2006 Regional level is created
Act that helps to establish regions
Regions responsibilities (expected) Economic
development Environment, energy, transport
Agriculture, forestry, food Education, science,
sport, culture Security, cross-border
cooperation, Home Affairs Work, family,
health, social security
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Financial transfers

• Subsidies for operating and capital spending
• Monthly allocated, based on estimated budget,
  compulsory spending
• In 1995, transfers from the central government
  represented 67 of municipal budgets

• Financial equalization
• Municipalities that are economically unable to
  cover their expenditure with their own resources
  are entitled to additional subsidies from central
  government
• Compulsory spending must represent 70,9 of
  total expenditure
• 31,6 are issued by equalization subsidies

Income tax is nationally collected and represents
the main part of revenue distribution 30
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Local taxes and loans

• Local taxes
• Main tax Property Tax (23 of local revenues in
  2003)
• Uneven distribution 28 of the municipalities
  collect more than 80 of property tax
• 15 other kinds of local taxes

• Loans
• For capital spending at national institutions
• Musnt represent more than 5 of the
  municipalitys budget
• Musnt represent more than 20 of the
  municipalitys revenus

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Expenditure

• Local authorities make free use of their
  revenues. The use of municipal funds is only
  assessed by the local authoritys Scrutiny
  Committee and by the Audit Court at national
  level.
• Scrutinizing Committees are specific and
  independent municipal bodies whose members are
  appointed by municipal councils among citizens
  who have a requested knowledge. These committees
  are responsible for scrutinizing the management
  of municipal goods and ensuring the appropriate
  use of budgetary funds.
• The majority of local expenditure is determined
  at national level and makes compulsory spending.
• Expenditure and revenues have been increasing for
  several years.

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Administrative units

• 58 Central government area-offices have been
  designed across the country
• Their heads are appointed by the Government after
  the related municipal councils have been
  consulted.
• Consultative councils have been set up to
  guarantee co-operation between central government
  and the municipalities.
• They inform the ministries about illegal acts or
  policies that are beyond municipalities
  responsibilities.
• Central government can raise the matter in the
  Constitutional Court or an administrative
  tribunal.

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Conclusion

• Institutions are organized in a simple way
• The constitution determines the principles
• Acts of parliament define local authorities
  responsibilities, funding, etc.
• Municipalities have many responsibilities.
• Regionalization process is underway. However it
  is slowed down by the large number of
  municipalities that divides-up the national
  territory and also by municipalities that are
  reluctant to give up their responsibilities.
• Local authorities financial and human resources
  are gradually increasing.