Samorząd wojewódzki w Polsce jako podmiot polityki rozwoju regionalnego
Regional authorities in Poland as the subject of regional development policy

Summary/Abstract: One of the greatest achievements of the socio-political transformation process in Poland is the extensive decentralization of public authorities. The current law on municipal government has brought about the restoration of the phenomenon of local governance in Poland, thus becoming the beginning of further local government reform, topped with the establishment of district and regional government. January 1, 1999 marks the introduction of the principal three-tier territorial division of the state, organized from then on into municipalities, counties and regions, the latter being of particular interest to us here. The reform of local government encompassed the regions, resulting in a significant qualitative change, as regions were granted the status of separate entities, thus becoming partners in relations with the central authorities. The fifteen years of regional government in Poland calls for reflections on the efficiency of the steps taken then, and the directions of further advancement of local government at a regional level. This issue is of utmost importance, since in a democratic, decentralized state, locally governed regions play an increasingly significant role in promoting, stimulating and providing public financing for initiatives serving socio-economic development. Effective fulfillment of these tasks, coupled with changing principles of how to generate the budget revenue of local governments, lies among the main conditions for the future operations of the regions, and ensuring appropriate means to implement regional development projects.

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