Review article
The System of Local Self-Government in Slovenia with a Special Emphasis on the Status of the Capital City Ljubljana
Stane Vlaj
; Faculty of Administration, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Abstract
Slovenia is one of the most centralised countries in Europe. Local self-government is under strong auspices of the central state in terms of content and finances. Although the Slovenian Constitution provides for the two tiers of self-government, only municipalities have been established so far. Out of 212 municipalities, 11 are urban municipalities. If they are established, provinces will be very important
for decentralization of the country and for realisation of the subsidiarity
principle. Despite rich and favourable public debate, political actors are not in favour of provinces. Ljubljana is the centre and capital of Slovenia, and should be the focal point of the central province. The City of Ljubljana has a special status, with certain specificities with regard to its competences and to financing public affairs. It has three main bodies, the City Council, directly elected mayor, and the Supervisory Committee. The town administration consists of 15 administrative
bodies. Ljubljana has 17 sub-municipal units (neighbourhoods) with
neighbourhood councils as the main bodies. The main decentralisation steps are establishment of provinces as the second tier of self-government, decentralisation of public affairs, widening of the local financial autonomy, and reducing the large number of inefficient municipalities.
Keywords
local self-government – Slovenia; municipalities; provinces; decentralisation; capital city – Ljubljana; sub-municipal governments – neighbourhoods
Hrčak ID:
130590
URI
Publication date:
1.9.2012.
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