Local governance and the

interaction with the NGO sector -

parallel between the systems of

Slovakia and Austria

Karol Decsi, PhD.

The term: governance • Governance refers generally to the control and

regulation system in a society

• Various interests of private and public actors

(groups, business, politics and administration)

are negotiated and implemented on this system

• The term governance is relatively young and is

derived from the English word Government

• Government is a traditional routing of a society

through one "top-down" functioning government.

Local Governance • in social and political science is "(local)

governance" highly in the course

• the modern state is subject to a distinct change: it is forced for many reasons to adapt its facilities and activities to the new procedures

• Local Governance of completely general view can be explained as a complex of universally valid models, approaches, methods and techniques used in the development of resources and achieving the objectives in the territory, whose products are either goods or intangible services.

Governance network • Governance should be appropriate for the

control and regulation of not only the state but also the private and the public sector (associations, interest groups, citizens initiatives, media, ...) that are involved and which interact through formal and informal networks

• The role of the state should not be undermined but redefined. Participation plays a major role.

Third sector organizations • are new partner in the management of restructuring local

policy

• enable a departmental or cross-policy coordination of citizen participation

– include the development of a "participatory management", the delegation of responsibility at the district level

– therefore it is necessary, that the municipal decision-makers go by themselves to the citizens - citizen participation should be perceived as an enrichment of their competencies

From Government to Governance • In our society the balancing different interests is

traditionally determined by the democratic system of the state.

• This model of governance comes partly due to its social change and the resulting social changes to its limits.

• The tasks of society increase and the problems to be solved by governments become more complex.

• It is increasingly difficult for governments to finance their assigned tasks and implement.

Modernization of administration • The political-administrative system is

faced with the challenge of responding to

these changes.

• Reforms are needed both internally in the

system (modernization administration )

and externally in the discourse of civil

society.

Modern and efficient

administration • The term "e-government" (electronic

government) is now synonymous with a modern and efficient administration.

• The use of new media allows the authorities to make services accessible to a broad audience out of the traditional way

• The Internet in particular has contributed to a qualitative improvement in the communication between the Administration and citizens.

Transaction of the public

administraion • Public administration provide with an increasing

number of official channels already all process steps (transactions) online - from application to completion of applying

• Forms

– can be completed on screen

– an be signed electronically and sent electronically to the authority

– Notices and other documents must not be sent by post

E-Government • Modern information and communication

technologies (ICT) allow the administration to provide new electronic services via the internet.

• Under the term "e-Government" provides the Austrian and Slovakian administration a spectrum of services on the Internet

• Thus the citizens have the opportunity largely independent of time and place to submit applications electronically or to communicate with the administration electronically.

Digital interaction at several levels

• G2C (Government to Citizens) - online communication between government and citizens

• G2B (Government to Businesses) - online communication of public administration and the business sector

• G2E (Government to Employees) - on-line communication between the administration and staff of the institutions covered by the public administration

Digital interaction at several levels

• G2G (Government to Governments) - Mutual online communication between public administrations

• G2A (Government to Administration) - electronic communication between the administration and the administration

• C2G (Citizens to Governments) - online communication of citizens towards public authorities

4 basic types of activities • providing general information to citizens via the Internet

• two-way communication between authorities and

citizens, or between businesses and the authorities

themselves - citizens can communicate with the

authorities actively to solve their problems, or comment

and submit their application in question of administration

Office

• implementation of monetary transactions

• eGovernance - public report affairs - the extension of the

principles of eGovernment and the population, making

this may participate in public affairs through the use of

ICT.

e-Government in Slovakia • 1995 - Act No. 261 / 1995 of collection of

acts on information systems of public administration

• In 2013 was adopted the Act on the computerization of the bureaucratic apparatus of the state

• thanks to this act it should be possible via web to equip official matters: to declare and pay taxes, to notify the new residence, set up a company or cancel trade

Portal Slovensko.sk • All services can be accessed through a central portal of

public administration Slovensko.sk

• Central public administration portal for domain www.slovensko.sk is currently in pilot operation

• provides central and unified access to information resources and government services

• the most important role of the portal is directing the user to a specific e-government services using relevant information sources.

• but the account will only be possible through a new ID card with chip

• Creating a central portal is co-financed by the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund

http://portal.egov.sk/ • main objective of the portal is to facilitate

electronic access of citizens to the office of the city, municipality or country (through the Internet and mobile) as an essential part of modern open society of 3rd millennium.

• Portal Services extend the capabilities of electronic communication with the authorities, which offer central portal Slovensko.sk.

• The goal is an open, transparent and efficient government that is close to its citizens and allows them the information and on-line communication with authorities

http://portal.egov.sk/ • The portal is designed to

– citizens and individuals who are able to use the online service of their city, municipality or county, or other municipality (eg. where they have property and pay taxes)

– municipalities, cities and regions, which can easily and without input costs allow its residents and businesses with direct electronic communication with the authorities and use other online services, especially for transparent disclosure of data and information,

– legal entities and organizations, including the authorities and institutions of public administration which can benefit from the same services as citizens, but also themselves may be providers of electronic services (eg. dissemination of news through iObčan, statutory disclosure obligations of persons, etc.).

The state-run postal service • Slovenská Pošta (SP), has signed a

memorandum of cooperation in the area of e-government with the country’s finance ministry to serve as a partner in simplifying citizens' access to the state's electronic services

• the citizens are able to apply for and receive documents and statements from the Land Registry, Business Register or the Criminal Record at post offices

• (SP) wants to establish a network of specialised offices called Integrated Service Offices within its branch network to provide these services

Slovak National Identity Card

• Police issued a new e-identity from December 2014

• On the chip can be upload certificates for free to create an a qualified electronic signature

• which replaces in electronic communication with the authorities the handwritten signature

• through it an appeal to the court or purchase agreement for the house can be digitally signed

E-Government in Austria • E-Government Act - 2004

• Amendment - 2008

• With the E-Government Act (E-GovG) the appropriate legal framework for the implementation of a sustainable e-government were created.

• In an European comparison Austria is one of the first members of the European Union that has adopted comprehensive legislation for e-Government.

• The law can therefore be seen as an example.

• For this reason, Austria established also an English working version of the E-Government Act: – http://www.digitales.oesterreich.gv.at/DocView.axd?CobId=31

191

The overriding principles of E-

Government Act in Austria:

• The choice between communication styles for attachment to public administration.

• Providing security and privacy in the electronic transport through the provision of technical means such as the citizen card.

• The barrier-free access for disabled people to information and services offeres by the public administration through the observance of international standards that regulate web accessibility.

Assessment of the Digital

Agenda for 2014

• The European Commission has published a new assessment of the Digital Agenda for 2014. The report shows that EU citizens continue to be satisfied with private online services (eg. Electronic banking) than public online services (eg. Employment information).

• Online eGovernment services are more and more, but they are not always easy to use, fast and transparent.

• These barriers prevent people from EU in use of e-Goverment

Involvement of the population

• Specifically, the Internet offers the opportunity for greater involvement of the population to our society: – Internet chats with policy makers can be performed

– Public participation procedures can be made accessible to the public.

– Discussion forums may be founded.

– The participation in the consultation process on legislative proposals is possible.

– The electronic participation in elections by the Citizen Card function (based on cards or via mobile phone) is entirely possible (till now only in Austria)

Participation of citizens

• E-government is not just a modern

communication between citizens and

authorities

• The rapid development of the Internet and

new technologies creates a number of

innovative approaches for the participation

of citizens in democratic decision-making

processes.

Public services and democratic processes

• EGovernment seeks to improve the availability, simplicity, economic performance and overall efficiency of public services and democratic processes in the country.

• An essential part of eGovernment is not only the deployment of ICT tools, but also a change of mind, work organization and management processes within the public administration so that they are benefits for every citizen, entrepreneur or organization.