Abstract
It has been exactly 25 years since local government was introduced at all three levels of the fundamental territorial division, which raises the question of the correctness of the solutions adopted in the context of territorial autonomy. At the municipal level, local government is authentic, with all its attributes, including the territorial autonomy of that level. Nevertheless, is this also the case with higher-level units, i.e., counties and provinces? Here, the answer is not so obvious. “Territorial autonomy” does not have a strictly defined legal content. It is a general and relative concept, which is difficult, if not impossible, to define. One thing is sure, however: this concept embodies an idea that shapes the legal system governing the organizational and territorial structure of the state. It concerns the division of power between the center and the regions, taking into account the processes of centralization and decentralization. It seems that the concept of “territorial autonomy” can be explained by considering the relationship between the interests of the “territory” and the interests of the state as a whole. The main conclusion of these considerations is the assumption that territorial autonomy exists when the interests of individual territorial units acquire the characteristics of an independent legal entity, i.e., legal provisions create a particular permanent sphere of activity for local authorities that is free from the domination of the interests of the state as a whole. It is a normative construct based on the assumption that, in addition to national tasks that are uniformly implemented throughout the country, the legislator defines tasks that are independently shaped and implemented by local authorities and are specific to their jurisdiction. This, in turn, is part of the essence of local government. This reasoning allows us to accept the fundamental thesis of the considerations undertaken on the determining role of territorial autonomy in the concept of local government.
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