Public Administration Reform in Poland.

Decentralization Progress 1989 1999.

prof. Micha Kulesza

University of Warsaw

Main Missions of Public Authorities (General Outlook)

1) Programmatic (political) mission: governance; 2) Performing public tasks determined by law; 3) Managing the resources of public administration and the institutional development thereof.

Institutional reforms in Poland 1989 1999: PUBLIC INTEREST VS. STRUCTURE OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND GOVERNANCE

Interest of state: State security,

Public interest standards, Economic development and equilibrium, (decision-making according to the respective set of political criteria and objectives)

VARIANCES

CENTRE

Government CENTRE and its Administration: Central & Local

Area & Regional Admins.

CENTRE: HOW MUCH POWER ??

8 12 17 25 35 49
HOW MANY VOIVODESHIPS / REGIONS WITH WHAT DECISION POWER ??

CENTRE

Central gggovernment

Regional interest:
Regional development policy, (decision-making according to the respective set of political criteria and objectives)

Area & Regional Admins.

VOIVODESHIP

Regional self-govnmt

Local interest:
Local development and policy, delivering public services, public order, direct governance and administration (decisionmaking according to a set of political criteria and objectives

VOIVODESHIP

VOIVODESHIP

District admins.

District Admins.

If more than 25 voivodeships no more room for counties !!

COUNTY (powiat)
Local self-govnmt

COMMUNE

Local selfgovernment

COMMUNE
(gmina)
1990: First step towards decentralization: Municipal reform

COMMUNE (gmina)
Suspension of reforms: opposition against counties 1994-97. Political conflict 98: how many voivodeships ?

COMMUNE (gmina)
1998: Second step Administrative and territorial reform

Scales of public interest

Homogeneous top-down structure - up to 1989

Copyright 1999, 2008 by M. Kulesza All rights reserved

Public administration in Poland after the 1989 1999 reforms general outlook

Central Government and its administration (centre and field subsidiaries) Regional selfgovernment: voivodeship

Local self-government: (County, Town, Commune)

ADMINISTRATIVE MAP OF POLAND

Administrative (Regional) division of the country HOW DOES IT LOOK LIKE IN SELECTED EU COUNTRIES OF SIMILAR SIZE?

Managing of the reform (1997 1999)

MANAGING OF THE REFORM The Government Structure Responsible for the Design, Co-ordination and Implementation of the Reform: The Political and Executive Mechanisms (1998)
Prime Minister Mr. J. Buzek

Leadership of Ruling \Parliamentary Coalition

Co-operating Parliamentary Committees Secretary of State Prof. M. Kulesza

EXPERTISE: Advisory Council for the Systemic Reform of the State Chair: Prof. J. Regulski

design

responsible for preparation of concept and draft legislation of the Reform

Co-operating Associations of Local Self-Government Co-operating Ministries & Administrations

co-ordination
Undersecretary of State Mr. J. Stpie
responsible for preparation of the new administrative division of the country

Secretary of State Mr. J. Miller

responsible for preparation of the new financial system

Deputy Prime Minister Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration Mr. J. Tomaszewski

Deputy Prime Minister Minister of Finance Prof. L. Balcerowicz

implementation

Undersecretary of State Dr J. Poskonka responsible for implementation of the Reform Executive Secretary of the Team

Government Team for Implementation of the Public Administration Reform

(representatives of Ministries: Secretaries and Undersecretaries of State)

16 Government Delegates in Voivodships

(in the rank of Undersecretaries of State)

Copyright 1999, 2008 by M. Kulesza All rights reserved