Decentralization and Transition in the Visegrad: Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia

256 Pages·1999·15.926 MB·English

by  Emil J. Kirchner (eds.)

DECENTRALIZATION AND TRANSITION
IN THE VISEGRAD
STUDIES IN ECONOMIC TRANSITION
General Editors: lens Holscher, Commerzbank Professor for Money and Finance,.
University of Chemnitz, and Honorary Professor, Institute for German Studies,
University of Birmingham; and Horst Tomann, Professor of Economics, Free
University Berlin
This new series has been established in response to a growing demand for a greater
understanding of the transformation of economic systems. It brings together
theoretical and empirical studies on economic transition and economic
development. The post-communist transition from planned to market economies is
one of the main areas of applied theory because in this field the most dramatic
examples of change and economic dynamics can be found. The series aims to
contribute to the understanding of specific major economic changes as well as to
advance the theory of economic development. The implications of economic policy
will be a major point of focus.
Titles include:
Irwin Collier, Herwig Roggemann, Oliver Scholz and Horst Tomann (editors)
WELFARE STATES IN TRANSITION: East and West
Hubert Gabrisch and RUdiger Pohl (editors)
EU ENLARGEMENT AND ITS MACROECONOMIC EFFECTS IN
EASTERN EUROPE: Currencies, Prices, Investment and Competitiveness
lens Holscher and Anja Hochberg (editors)
EAST GERMANY'S ECONOMIC DEVEWPMENT SINCE UNIFICATION
Domestic and Global Aspects
Emil Kirchner (editor)
DECENTRALIZATION AND TRANSillON IN THE VISEGRAD
Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia
Johannes Stephan
ECONOMIC TRANSITION IN HUNGARY AND EAST GERMANY
Gradualism and Shock Therapy in Catch-up Development
Studies in Economic Transition
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Decentralization
and Transition in
the Visegrad
Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic
and Slovakia
Edited by
Emil J. Kirchner
Professor of Govemmellf and Jean Monnet Chair
University of Essex
Colchester
Selection, editorial matter, Preface and Chapter 11 C> Emil J. Kirchner 1999
Chapter 1 C> Emil Kirchner and Thomas Christiansen 1999
Chapters 2-10 C> Macmillan Press Ltd 1999
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1999 978-0-333-71895-7
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DOI 10.1057/9780230374645
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ISBN 978-0-312-22005-1
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Decentralization and transition in the Visegrad : Poland, Hungary, the CZech
Republic and Slovakia I edited by Emil j. Kirchner.
p. em.-(Studies in economic transition)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-312-22005-1 (cloth)
1. Local government-Europe, Eastern. 2. Decentralization in
government-Europe, Eastern. 3. Europe, Eastern-Politics and
government-1989- 4. Local government-European Union countries.
1. Kirchner, Emil joseph. 11. Series
JS3000.7.D43 1999
3S2.2'83s'0947-<Ic21 98-43035
CIP
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
08 07 06 OS 04 03 02 01
For Melitta and Toni

Contents
List of Contributors ix
List of Maps and Tables xi
Preface XV
Abbreviations xvii
1 The Importance of Local and Regional Reform 1
Emil Kirchner and Thomas Christiansen
2 Regionalization in Western Europe 19
Thomas Christiansen
3 Decentralized Government and Subsidiarity 34
Nicholas Bernard
4 Regional and Local Development in Poland 53
Jacek Zaucha
5 Territorial Government in the Czech Republic 80
Michael Illner
6 Slovakia: Changes in Public Administration 102
Lubomir Fa/tan and Vladimir Krivy
7 Hungarian Local Government 132
J6zsef Hegedus
8 Euroregions on the Polish-German Border 159
Andrzej Kowalczyk
9 Poland and the EU: Trade-related problems 173
Anna Zielinska-Glebocka
10 European Security and Debt Finance in Poland 191
James Sperling
vii
viii Contents
11 The Role of the EU in Local and Regional Government 208
Emil Kirchner
Bibliography 223
Index 235
List of Contributors
Emil J. Kirchner is Professor in Government and Jean Monnet Professor in
European Political Integration at the University of Essex. He has published
books on Germany, NATO, the EU and European security. They include The
European Parliament: performance and prospects (1984); Liberal Parties in
Western Europe (editor, 1988); Decision-making in the European Commu
nity (1992); The Federal Republic of Germany and NATO: forty years after
(co-editor, 1992); The Future of European Security (co-editor, 1994); The
Politics of the New Europe (co-author, 1997) and Recasting the European
Order: security arc;hitectures and economic co-operation (co-author, 1997).
He is also Executive Editor of The Journal of European Integration.
Nicholas Bernard is Lecturer in the Department of Law at the University of
Essex. His research interests are in the field of EC law, and in particular
European economic law and EU governance. He has published work relating
to EC discrimination law, free movement in the EC internal market and sub
sidiarity in European economic law.
Thomas Christiansen is Jean Monnet Lecturer and Director of European
Studies in the Department of International Politics at the University of Wales
Aberystwyth. His research interests include European territorial politics, insti
tutional reform in the EU as well as normative and theoretical questions relat
ing to the integration process. Books on the European Commission, on the
Europeanization of state borders and on inter-institutional relations in the EU
are in preparation.
Lubomir Faltan is currently Senior Researcher and Director of Institute of
Sociology, Slovak Academy of Sciences in Bratislava. His research interests
include: urban and rural sociology, regional socio-spatial development, local
democracy and communities and cross-border cooperation. His recent publica
tions include: Social Marginality of Territories of Slovakia ( 1995, joint editor)
and The New Shape of Public Administration: Slovak and Flemish experiences
(1997).
Anna Zielinska-Glebocka js Professor in Economics at the University of
Gdansk and Jean Monnet Chair in European Economic Integration. She has
published widely on international trade and trade policy, European economic
integration and adjustment of the Polish economy to EU integration. Among
her main publications are Transformation and Integration in Europe: adjust
ment of the Polish economy (editor, 1994), The Light of Structural Changes
ix