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| The problem in Slovakia is not the local governments, but the way the state is governed |
| Bratislava, 03.07.2026 |
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| Slovakia's problem is not the local governments, the real problem is the way the state is managed. This was stated by the president of the Union of Slovak Cities (ÚMS) Richard Rybníček for TASR in response to the statements of the Republic Union of Employers (RÚZ) about the growth of expenditures of municipalities, cities and higher territorial units for the period from 2007 to 2025.
"RÚZ rightly draws attention to the need for efficient use of public finances. We agree on that. However, I do not agree that Slovakia's problem is primarily local governments. The real problem is the way the state is managed," Rybníček clarified.
"Slovakia has not been able to answer the basic question for years: what kind of state do we actually want to have, how many levels of governance do we need and which decisions should be made by the government and state offices and which by cities, municipalities and regions. This is precisely the essence of the state reform, which has never been completed," he underlined.
According to him, the ÚMS has long been warning that the state has retained too many competencies, decision-making and offices. At the same time, it is transferring new responsibilities to local governments without adequate funding. The result is rising costs, unnecessary bureaucracy and services that citizens do not perceive as better quality. “If we want a more efficient state, let’s not start by looking for the culprit among local governments. Let’s start by finally saying what the state should do and what local governments should do. And then set the competencies and funding accordingly,” he emphasized.
“I believe that the RÚZ will also be a partner in the discussion on a real reform of the functioning of the state. The Union of Slovak Cities has long prepared specific proposals for changing the functioning of the state and decentralizing competencies. We will be happy to meet with the representatives of the RÚZ and present our proposals to them. I am convinced that without such a reform, it will not be possible to build a more efficient Slovakia,” added the ÚMS president.
Analytical data on public finances, mapped by the RÚZ and which approximate the long-term development of public finances in Slovakia, show that the expenditures of municipalities, cities and higher territorial units in Slovakia have almost tripled since 2007. While in 2007, local government expenditures amounted to 3.8 billion euros, in 2025 they will already represent 11.2 billion euros. Even after taking inflation into account, local government expenditures have increased by approximately 80% in real terms over the past 18 years. Their revenues have also grown at the same pace, increasing from 3.8 billion euros to 11.1 billion euros.
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Address : Euro-Brew Ltd., Hlboká 22, 917 01 Trnava, Slovakia
Tel. : +421 33 53 418 53, Fax : +421 33 53 418 52, E-mail : info@eurobrew.sk |
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