THE COLOURS OF SELF-GOVERNEMENT
An interview with Wojciech Długoborski, the Chairman of Wespomeranian Sejmik
-On the 1 of January 1999 new local-government provinces and poviats emerged in the map of Poland including Westpomeranian province. Who governs the province?
-Regional local-government community is according to the law constituted by the inhabitants of a given province. And the province's sejmik composed of members selected by of age inhabitants of a given province is the body of laws proclamation and control. One may say in a nutshell that sejmik is a province's parliament.
-Sejmik chooses out of its members a province's marshal and following his motion - the rest of the members of province's board i.e. an executive body. Does this mean that the province's marshal is subordinated to the chairman of sejmik?
-The statute of our province states that the Province's Board including the Marshal are subordinated to the Province's Sejmik and not to the Chairman. The Chairman of Sejmik organises its work, conducts its sessions and represents - but only Sejmik - outside. And the province's marshal pursues current matters of the province and represents it outside.
-In external contacts the province is also represented by the Province's Governor.
-The Governor is by law a central government administration body. He is responsible for state-owned inspections and administrative services and he also exercises formal and legal surveillance over local-governments in the respect of passed acts' compliance with law.
-This competence division between local government organs and central administration is not very clear and for sure it makes foreign partners be confused.
-The essence of local-government consists in having at one's disposal as much money as possible which are own incomes. It is only this money which may be spent with application of the policy of reliefs, exempts, delays in payment days, etc. However, a significant majority of current province's incomes are office's subsidies and donations which flow through the governor or through agencies and funds practically not controlled by society. So far an adequate increase of financial capacity has not accompanied the growth of local-government's tasks.
-Is there no reaction for postulates coming from all over the country concerning changing this abnormal situation?
-Not long ago, in May this year the Prime Minister Jerzy Buzek spoke on the prospect of handing over some state funds and agencies to local governments including those of provinces. It gives some hopes. Let us hope that the resistance of various circles which are against the decentralisation process will not disturb the realisation of these plans.
-Let us come back to the Wespomeranian province. In January last year changes in most significant positions took place.
-The Marshal - Józef Jerzy Faliński and me were selected to perform our current functions as a result of the fact that our predecessors, senators: Zbigniew Zychowicz and Jerzy Mokrzycki resigned from their posts. This term of Sejmik should terminate in September next year.
-In your opinion - what achievements of Wespomeranian Sejmik of the present term should be considered as the most important ones?
-We started from the very basis. I personally directed the works of temporary commission established to work out the Province's Statute and other documents necessary for Sejmik's proper functioning. The Statute, after it was discussed with the Prime Minister, was accepted in March this year. Simultaneously, and 'Regional Business' reported on this many times, a public debate continued which preceded passing the Westpomeranian Provinnce Strategy up to 2015. The Strategy was proclaimed by Sejmik on 23 October 2000. Also the coat of arms and flag of our province were established.
As the chairman of Sejmik I am especially satisfied with the fact that the Statute and the Strategy, i.e. two documents exceptionally important for the region were passed by members of politically diversified Sejmik almost unanimously.
-Sejmik passes difficult budget resolutions, makes decisions on the possessions and property of the province, introduces changes in spatial management project, points for international co-operation priorities and deals with important problems of education, health service, social help service, culture, environment protection, public roads, etc. Despite political differences you mentioned and conflicts of interests the members pass even several resolutions during each session. How come?
-So far, during 21 Sejmik sessions 208 resolutions have been passed. It was possible thanks to the accepted mode of preparations to particular sessions. They are always preceded by the meetings of Chairman of Sejmik and his deputies, chairmen of members' clubs and chairmen of all Sejmik's commissions with the Province's Board. During those meetings the bills are presented by the Board. Then they are discussed in particular commissions and during sessions of particular members' clubs. Each session is also preceded by the meeting of chairman of Sejmik and his deputies with chairmen of members' clubs, i.e. representatives of different political options.
-Which topics do you presently concentrate on, Mr Chairman?
-Recently we have proclaimed the priorities of international co-operation. It is obvious why we want to pay more attention to the co-operation with our neighbours: Front Pomerania Mecklemburg and Brandenburg and southern Scania in Sweden. Contacts of our members of Sejmik with deputies of Front Pomerania Mecklemburg Parliament develop very well. Personally, I appreciate very much the co-operation with my counterpart - Mr. Hinrich Kuessner, the president of Landtag.
We pay much attention to economy, too. It is planned that the programme "Support for Entrepreneurship, Growth of Economy Innovations of and Fighting Unemployment in Westpomeranian Province" prepared by the Province Board will be passed in May.
-You have been the Mayor of Gryfino for 11 years. The position of Chairman of Sejmik means many additional tasks and duties. Is it easy to reconcile the two positions?
-Duties resulting from being the Chairman of Sejmik require that one should devote oneself completely to them. The Chairman of Sejmik should also take part in Province Board sessions, participate in many official meetings and ceremonies, in various consultations and conferences... In future it cannot be realised 'after hours'.
BIURO SEJMIKU
WOJEWÓDZTWA ZACHODNIOPOMORSKIEGO
ul. Wały Chrobrego 4
70-502 Szczecin
tel. (+48 91) 43-03-368
fax (+48 91) 43-44-994
http://www.um-zachodniopomorskie.pl
e-mail: sejmik@zachodniopomorskie.pl
