Local Self-Government
Article 138 (Exercise of Local Self-Government)Residents of Slovenia exercise local self-government in municipalities and other local communities.
Article 139 (Municipalities)Municipalities are self-governing local communities.
The territory of a municipality comprises a settlement or several settlements bound together by the common needs and interests of the residents.
A municipality is established by law following a referendum by which the will of the residents in a given territory is determined. The territory of the municipality is also defined by law.
Article 140* (Scope of Local Self-Government)The competencies of a municipality comprise local affairs which may be regulated by the municipality autonomously and which affect only the residents of the municipality.
The state may by law transfer to municipalities the performance of specific duties within the state competence if it also provides financial resources to enable such.
State authorities shall supervise the proper and competent performance of work relating to matters vested in the local community bodies by the state.
*As amended by the Constitutional Act Amending Articles 121, 140 and 143 of the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia, adopted on 20 June 2006 and entered into force on 27 June 2006 (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia No. 68/06).
The original text read as follows:
- The competencies of a municipality comprise local affairs which may be regulated by the municipality autonomously and which affect only the residents of the municipality.
- With the prior consent of the municipality or wider self-governing local community, the state may by law vest specific duties within the state jurisdiction in the municipality or wider self-governing local community, if the state provides financial resources for this purpose.
- State authorities shall supervise the proper and competent performance of work relating to matters vested in the local community bodies by the state.
Article 141 (Urban Municipalities)
A town may attain the status of an urban municipality in accordance with such procedure and under such conditions as provided by law.
An urban municipality performs, as being within its original competence, particular duties within the state competence relating to urban development as provided by law.
Article 142 (Municipal Revenue)
A municipality is financed from its own sources. Municipalities that are unable to completely provide for the performance of their duties due to insufficient economic development are assured additional funding by the state in accordance with principles and criteria provided by law.
Article 143* (Region)
A region is a self-governing local community that manages local affairs of wider importance, and certain affairs of regional importance provided by law.
Regions are established by a law which also determines their territory, seat, and name. Such law is adopted by the National Assembly by a two-thirds majority vote of deputies present . The participation of the municipalities must be guaranteed in the procedure for adopting the law.
The state transfers by law the performance of specific duties within the state competence to the regions and must provide to them the necessary financial resources to enable such .
*As amended by the Constitutional Act Amending Articles 121, 140 and 143 of the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia, adopted on 20 Jume 2006 and entered into force on 27 June 2006 (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia No. 68/06).
The original text of Article 143 read as follows:
(Wider Self-Governing Local Communities)
- Municipalities may independently decide to join into wider self-governing local communities, as well as regions, in order to regulate and manage local affairs of wider importance. In agreement with such communities, the state may transfer specific matters within the state competence into their original competence and determine the participation of such communities in proposing and performing particular matters within the state competence.
- The principles and criteria regarding the transfer of competence from the preceding paragraph are regulated by law.
Article 144 (Supervision by State Authorities)State authorities supervise the legality of the work of local community authorities.
Other Forms of Self-Government
Article 145 (Self-Government in the Field of Social Activities)Citizens may form self-governing associations to promote their interests.
Citizens may be given the authority by law to manage through self-government particular matters within the state competence.
