Association of Towns and Communities of Slovakia (ZMOS)

Local Government in Slovakia – Structure

Local Government in Slovakia – competences

Local Government in Slovakia – Elected Bodies

• administration of municipal property
• budgeting
• enacting, abolishing and administering local taxes and fees
• economic activity (e.g. approving business activities)
• local roads, public spaces, cemeteries, cultural and sport facilities
• utilities, waste management and local transportation

• environment protection, education, culture and sport
• customer protection and provision of goods
• local planning
• investing activities and filial organizations
• local referendum
• public order
• protection of cultural and natural heritage
• social services according to the Act No 448/2008 Coll. on Social Services

• 2 930 local governments in Slovakia
• 138 cities
• 39 city districts (cities Bratislava and Košice)
• 2 753 municipalities
• 2 500 municipalities with less than 2 000 inhabitants
• 2 000 municipalities with less than 1 000 inhabitants
• Largest city: Bratislava – 413 000 inhabitants
• Smallest municipalities: Havranec & Príkra – 12 inhabitants

• City / Local / Municipal Assembly
• 3 – 41 members, elected for 4 years by the first-by-the-post system
• competences: municipal property, budget, land use planning, taxes and fees, international cooperation, municipal organizations etc.
• Mayor
• elected directly for 4 years by the first-by-the-post system
• competences: chairs assembly session (cannot be a member), general administration, external representation of the local government, all competences that do not belong to the assembly
• City / Local / Municipal Council
• may be established by the assembly, number of members cannot exceed 1/3 of the assembly
• executive body of the assembly and advisory body of the mayor
• other: City / Local / Municipal Office, Head of the Office, Comptroller, "Meeting of Citizens"

Local Governments in Slovakia

and Association of Towns and Communities of Slovakia (ZMOS)

ZMOS – International Cooperation

ZMOS – Overview

ZMOS – Characteristics

ZMOS – Goals

• largest non-governmental organization in Slovakia associating cities and municipalities as legal persons
• representative – ca. 95% of Slovak local governments are members of ZMOS
• independent and non-partisan
• democratic, built on a bottom-up approach
• funded by membership fees (ca. 0,14 € per citizen per year)

• 2 769 member cities, city districts and municipalities
• elected bodies:
• General Assembly – meets on annual basis; electoral assemblies can be attended by all member local governments; regular assemblies are attended by up to 800 delegates
• Council – meets ca. 6 times per year; 131 members; 8 expert committees (6-12 members) meeting twice per year
• Presidency – meets monthly; 24 members
• President – elected for 4 years during the electoral General Assembly; rotation of cities and municipalities
• all elected bodies are created on regional basis and their members are delegated by regional associations
• 60 regional associations
• office of ZMOS – divided into departments in accordance with committees of the Council

• defend and promote common interests and rights of the associated cities and municipalities in accordance with the principles of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, Constitution and laws of the Slovak Republic
• promote development of local governments and of their activities
• address common issues of members
• draw up solutions of problems to competent central government authorities while adhering to the principle of members’ autonomy
• unify execution of the bestowed tasks by local governments

• member of Council of European Municipalities and Regions CEMR, United Cities and Local Governments UCLG, Standing Committee Euro-Mediterranean Partnership of the Local and Regional Authorities COPPEM
• representing local governments in the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe and the Committee of the Regions of the European Union
• implementation of activities in cooperation with foreign associations of local governments
• participation of elected representatives in international conferences and meetings
• transfer of good experience related to local governments
• facilitating twinning cooperation of Slovak local governments with foreign partners
• official development assistance of the Slovak Republic

Thank you for your attention!

Jozef Dvonč

President of ZMOS

dvonc@zmos.sk