Paths and Constraints of Subnational Government Mobilization in East-Central Europe

Abstract

The article studies the impact of enlargement on subnational governments in the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland. It compares the resources and political constellations of subnational governments and analyses how these variables interact with Europeanization to influence domestic intergovernmental relations, the management of structural funds and the European Union relations of subnational governments. The article argues that stronger regional governments (in Poland and the Czech Republic) have been able to resist attempts to centralize intergovernmental relations. Decentralizing reforms occurred where incumbent governing parties dominated subnational government (Poland). Under ‘vertically divided’ government (Czech Republic), subnational governments sought unmediated access to European Union institutions.

Key Words:

• Europeanization
• intergovernmental relations
• subnational government
• East-Central Europe

Notes

¹ Final account reports of the ministries of finance, http://www.mfcr.cz/cps/rde/xchg/mfcr/xsl/statni_zav_ucet_70181.html; http://www.mf.gov.pl/index.php?const=5&dzial=229&wysw=4&sub=sub5 (Accessed 1 September 2012).

² An important factor behind the change was the public outrage caused by a leaked speech in which the prime minister had confessed having lied about the true economic situation of the country (Rajnai, 2007).

³ Monitor Polski, 7 April 2006, no. 25, pos.276.

⁴ http://www.e-region.cz/aktualne/clanek-2363-Ustecky-kraj-prestava-proplacet-regulacni-poplatky.aspx (Accessed 1 September 2012).

⁵ Tisková Zpráva, 24 June 2009, http://www.asociacekraju.cz/vismo5/zobraz_dok.asp?id_org=450022&id_ktg=11165&p1=1002 (Accessed 1 September 2012).

⁶ Veřejná Správa, 12/2011.

⁷ Total Cohesion Policy support comprises resources of the Cohesion Fund, the European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund pre-allocated to the convergence, cohesion, regional competitiveness, and employment objectives. Source: European Commission, DG Regio, DG Budget.

⁸ http://www.asociacekraju.cz/vismo5/zobraz_dok.asp?id_org=450022&id_ktg=11165&p1=1002&tzv=1&pocet=25&stranka=4 (Accessed 1 September 2012).

⁹ http://southern-moravia.eu/dokumenty.php (Accessed 1 September 2012). One of the Czech kraje, Moravian-Silesian kraj, had to close its office in September 2011.

¹⁰ Interviews with Brussels representatives of Małopolska and Wielkopolska voivodships, 13–14 October 2011.

¹¹ http://www.wielkopolska.eu (Accessed 1 September 2012).

¹² http://www.asociacekraju.cz/vismo5/dokumenty2.asp?id_org=450022&id=151555&p1=1002 (Accessed 1 September 2012).

¹³ http://cor.europa.eu/en/activities/governance/Pages/contributions.aspx (Accessed 1 September 2012).

¹⁴ http://egtc.kormany.hu/brusszeli-kepviseleti-iroda (Accessed 23 August 2012).

¹⁵ http://hethatar.eu/szervezeti-tortenet/ (Accessed 23 August 2012).

¹⁶ http://www.moosz.com/moosz-hirek/?cpg=2 (Accessed 1 September 2012).

¹⁷ http://www.toosz.hu/digitalcity/projects/tooszproject/homepage.jsp?dom=AAAAZJWX&fmn=BAAFKZOL&prt=BAAFKZOG&men=BAAFKZLC (Accessed 1 September 2012).