Rationalisation of the number of municipalities in Slovenia is urgent - but how?

In the framework of the "Slovenia and the EU" lecture cycle

the International Institute for Middle-East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES)

invites you kindly to the discussion

entitled

RATIONALISATION OF THE NUMBER OF MUNICIPALITIES IN SLOVENIA IS URGENT – BUT HOW?

which will be held on Monday, 23 September 2013 at 16.00 h

in the “Grad” hall of Hotel Lev (13th floor) at Vošnjakova 1, Ljubljana.

Besides the political and economic impact the present crisis has numerous other dimensions and therefore demands complex approaches in order to overcome it. Answers should be found on how to tackle the general social apathy that has been caused by the moral, institutional and other aspects of the crisis.

The repercussions of the crisis are felt also at the level of municipalities that are facing numerous problems. One of the reasons for the crisis in Slovenian local government – from the organisational management point of view – is the large number of inefficient municipalities, which strengthens centralism in the state.

Slovenia should therefore find appropriate solutions for local communities to be able to manage successfully complicated public services. This represents one of the main challenges of future development of local government. What do experts on local and regional government think about the initiative proposed by the Minister of the Interior and Public Administration of the Republic of Slovenia dr. Gregor Virant to unite or rationalise municipalities by reducing them to 120? What changes of local government are needed in Slovenia and how to implement them?

Those and other issues will be discussed by:

Dr. Stane Vlaj, university professor, an expert on local government

● Dr. Janez Šmidovnik, the doyen of experts on local government and public administration

Dr. Albin Igličar, professor at the Faculty of Law of University of Ljubljana

Dr. Franc Grad, former judge at the Constitutional Court and professor at the Faculty of Law of University of Ljubljana

Dr. Vilma Milunovič, an expert on financial issues of local government.

The discussion will be held in the Slovenian language and moderated by Mr. Zijad Bećirović.

Live broadcast at: http://www.ifimes.org/en/livestream

Please take your seat at the hall at the latest by 15.55 h.

Attendance is free of charge. Please confirm your participation at telephone number (01) 430 15 33 or at ifimes@ifimes.org.

Ljubljana, 12 September 2013