Slovakia: Changes in Public Administration

When the transformation of the Czechoslovak political and economic system was initiated in November 1989, it was clear that similar changes would also have to be introduced to the operation of public administration. These changes would have to consider the following dimensions: 1 Political: Public administration cannot be subjected to the uncontrolled hegemony of a single party; it has to be staffed in a competent and democratic manner, and has to take into account the emerging societal plurality. 2 Administrative: The principle of self-government in the administration of municipalities and territorial units has to be revitalized, and new jurisdictional relationships between the two components of public administration — central state administration (and its territorial subjects) and local government — have to be established. 3 Economic: The separation of state administration and local government also requires a new mode of economic provision; the relationship between the state and local government must be redefined. 4 Territorial-administrative: Local government and its scope of jurisdiction have to be defined; moreover, new territorial and administrative arrangements for Slovakia have to be introduced, with the aim of establishing both the subjects of territorial state administration in already defined territorial-administrative units, as well as in territorial authorities of self-government — the second tier of self-government.