Slovakia has a highly fragmented local government with just under 3000 municipalities. All of the municipalities have the same competences regardless of their territorial size or number of inhabitants. According to the law, paradoxically, both the capital and biggest city Bratislava, and the smallest municipality of around 100 inhabitants should provide the same range and standard of services to its citizens despite the enormous differences in the capacities of the respective local authorities. This creates big challenges in the daily functioning of the local public administration.

With a view to improve the current situation, the Slovak authorities are considering possibilities to diversify the scope of public services provided by different local authorities, in the context of a potential overhaul of the local government system. For this reason, they have asked the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance (CEGG) for a policy advice, prepared on the basis of the most relevant European practice.

On 15-17 June 2022, the CEGG will organise a Peer Review in Bratislava on the strengthening of the status of cities and municipalities. Peers from the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia, Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom, identified through the European Committee on Democracy and Governance, will participate to share their experience with the Slovak colleagues on their national cases regarding diversification of local functions, criteria for diversification between the municipalities, and relevant fiscal decentralisation strategy.

A Council of Europe expert will facilitate the discussions and will prepare a joint Peer report including recommendations on the ways to strengthen the public administration and improve good governance at the local level, that will be presented to the Slovak authorities.

The Peer Review is implemented in cooperation with the Slovak NGO MESA10, in the framework of the Joint CoE-EU Project "Delivering Good Governance in Slovakia – II phase".