Habersack, Sabine - Puşcaş, Vasile - Ciubotă, Viorel (szerk.): Democraţia in Europa centrală şi de Sud-Est - Aspiraţie şi realitate (Secolele XIX-XX) (Satu Mare, 2001)

Jan Wendt: Territorialization of Authority in Poland

Jan Wendt

Lubelskie

SLD / PSL

17

9

8-Swiçtokrzyskie

SLD / PSL

17

9

7-1-Warminsko

Mazurskie

SLD / PSL

17

9

4-4

Kujawsko

Pomorskie

SLD / PSL

17

9

2

»

5

1*

Malopolskie

AWS / UW

21

1-20-Pomorskie

AWS / UW

21

3-14

2

2

Sliţskie

AWS / UW

21--10

10

1

Dolnoslqskie

AWS / UW

21

5

1

9

6-Podkarpackie

AWS / UW

17

1-16-Podlaskie

AWS / UW

17-2

15-Opolskie

AWS / UW

17--8

2

7

All together

4 main parties

305

97

57

105

36

10

Source: P. Walewski, 1999, Swói w radzie. Polityka, nr. 45, s. 24.

The example of Health Insurance is interesting enough, for it shows that during implementation of reforms improbable „trick” come true - districts and provincial self government, institutions naturally predisposed to take care of their citizens, got enfeebled, as did central administration. Thanks to that next „red-tape” structure dealing with redistribution of finances came into being, and its officials , councillors and the head are appointed by local political elites. And because Health Insurance through their office, formed as additional structure of Ministry of Health and Social Affair, are subordinate to this ministry - we have another central institution.

The hold-up of posing the power on to the citizens (by political elites) abandoning the attempt to reform administrative centre, low level of financing of self governments caused that the model of county with strong central authority was sustained, and , in the structure of powers centres reestablished the role of both province and state capital a s centres. Similar impact has the second factor hindering the process of shifting power on to the local authorities, i.e.: the development of central and local administration. Although the development of bureaucracy is inevitable in democratic system, still the velocity of its appearance in Poland is significantly high, also if we recognise it as a necessity after Poland joins European Union. The number of officials employed in central administration in years 1995-1998 171 000 people and means the increase of employment by 20%- despite reorganisation carried out at term 1996/1997 aimed at increasing efficiency and reducing the staff. Meanwhile, there was also noticeable increment of 13% in the number of

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