RESEARCH INTO THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND TERRITORIAL REFORM

Guna Malinovska,Anda Zvaigzne

doi:10.17770/jresd2021vol1.13.6706

Abstract

The research aims to examine the theoretical aspects of administrative and territorial reform as well as to identify the attitudes of Latgale region residents to implementing the new administrative and territorial reform. The following research methods were employed: qualitative content analysis; analysis of legislative enactments and legal documents; a sociological research method – a survey was conducted to identify the opinions and assessments of Latgale residents about the new administrative and territorial reform; descriptive statistics and the graphical method. The research examined theoretical aspects regarding the division of territory into administrative units as well as the concept and definitions of a municipality as an administrative unit. The research analysed the results of the survey of Latgale region residents and identified the respondents’ assessments of implementing the new administrative and territorial reform.

Highlights

There are still discussions on the administrative and territorial reform completed in 2009 (Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development of the Republic of Latvia, 2019) whether it was carried out at sufficient quality, the goals set were achieved, the municipalities amalgamated were able to fully perform the functions prescribed for them by law etc
The new ATR launched 10 years later (Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development of the Republic of Latvia, 2019) raises even more questions regarding whether it is a new reform or a continuation of a previous reform in order to correct past mistakes and remedy the shortcomings that have emerged
The hypothesis put forward by the research that the population have a positive attitude to the implementation of the new administrative and territorial reform did not prove to be true

Summary

Introduction

There are still discussions on the administrative and territorial reform completed in 2009 (Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development of the Republic of Latvia, 2019) (hereinafter the ATR) whether it was carried out at sufficient quality, the goals set were achieved, the municipalities amalgamated were able to fully perform the functions prescribed for them by law etc. The research aims to examine the theoretical aspects of administrative and territorial reform as well as to identify the attitudes of Latgale region residents to implementing the new administrative and territorial reform. The research examined theoretical aspects regarding the division of territory into administrative units as well as the concept and definitions of a municipality as an administrative unit. It analysed the results of the survey of Latgale region residents and identified the respondents’ assessments of implementing the new ATR.

Public administrative

Findings

Conclusions