Decentralization policy schemes (DPSs) in the public sector have been implemented in different ways by Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Both approaches have led to a transfer of competencies from state administration to self-government with the aim of improving the efficiency of the delivery of services. This paper presents a comparative scale efficiency analysis of the units performing services in the building order sector. The analysis is based on two unique regional datasets from two countries, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The DPS implemented in Slovakia is based on the principle of voluntary cooperation of municipalities. In the case of the Czech building sector, the competencies have been transferred to the newly created municipalities with delegated or extended competencies. This study aims to contribute to the research on efficiency in public administration. We focused on the relationship between two types of DPSs, and units’ scale efficiency. We also tried to determine whether a specific unit scale size could be identified as the most efficient. We employed a two-stage metafrontier approach based on procedures for evaluating program and managerial efficiency. The results show that different DPs have not led to statistically significant differences in performance, and it is not possible to identify the most efficient building office scale size.

This paper presents qualitative research findings and a comparative scale efficiency analysis of the units performing services in the building sector. The analysis is based on two unique regional datasets from two countries, the Slovak Republic (SR) and the Czech Republic (CZ). Performance of building competences in Slovakia is based on the principle of voluntary cooperation of municipalities. In case of the Czech building sector, the competences have been transferred to the newly created municipalities with delegated or extended competences. Both states introduced reforms in public administration with the aim to improve their efficiency, including the performance of building competences. Czech Republic is currently undergoing a recodification of Building Act with unification of building authorities into the system of state building offices. The results of our qualitative research in both states in the period 2014-2019 show insufficient personal management due to low financing of building competences. Using quantitative statistical methods, we came to the conclusion that in Slovakia, a return to the performance of competences by state administration (district offices) instead of building offices (as a part of self-government) would not be effective.

Competences in the construction sector of the Slovak Republic (SR) under the current legislation are exercised at the local level of the state both by institutions of local self-government (municipalities) and state administration (district offices). The building authorities with the authority to decide on building permits are currently the municipalities to which the state has delegated building competences by Act No. 50/1976 Coll. on spatial planning and building regulations, as amended. However, the new construction legislation, effective from 1.4.2024, leads to a retroactive transfer of construction competences from municipalities to the state, to the newly created regional construction authorities. The long-awaited change in the legislation in the field of building regulations is expected to shorten the permitting processes and improve the functioning of building authorities. Municipalities will carry out the spatial planning, but the issuance of decisions on construction will be the responsibility of the state. The research presented in the paper, conducted through guided interviews with municipalities and district authorities in two selected regions of the SR, demonstrated the lack of state preparedness for the operation of the new state policy in the construction sector. We have come to a similar conclusion by theoretical analysis of the opinions of domestic and foreign authors. Optimal functioning of cooperation between state and local authorities would be possible with future legislative adjustments to the redistribution of construction proceedings between state and local self-government.

The reform of the self–governments in Slovakia caused the transfer of competencies from state authorities to municipalities. Every municipality is in accordance with Act no. 369/1990 Coll. on the Municipal Establishment obliged to ensure original and transferred competences for its inhabitants. However, for objective reasons, not all municipalities are able to perform them. Municipalities began to use the possibility of mutual contractual cooperation in accordance with the amendment to the Act on Municipal Establishment, under which municipalities can cooperate with each other for the purpose of carrying out a specific task or activity. Such cooperation between municipalities also exists for the purpose of exercising competence in the field of the building order. Pursuant to Act no. 50/1976 Coll. as amended, each municipality is a building authority. The aim of the paper is to qualitatively assess the reasons for contractual cooperation between the municipalities of the Nitra (NR) and Košice (KE) regions in the area of the building order (by using the method of structured interview). So far, 2 649 municipalities, which are a part of 189 joint building offices (JBO), have used the possibility of mutual contractual cooperation in the SR. Specifically, in the NR region there are 343 municipalities, which are part of 26 JBOs and in the KE region 391 municipalities, which are part of 28 JBOs. The qualitative method was used to find out the opinions of the building offices. Based on the obtained results, an optimal solution for problems of cooperation of municipalities was proposed by adopting new legislation, namely by the allocation of building offices to the seats of registry offices.

The aim of the paper is to draw attention to consequences of the transfer of competency at the level of the building procedure from state authorities to municipal offices in the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic. The defined research objective was achieved firstly by conducting controlled interviews with representatives of the building offices in the Nitra Region and, secondly, by analysis of financing of this competency from the obtained data from publicly available sources in both states. Secondly, the paper includes a comparison of the financial management of the transferred competencies at the level of the building procedure between the Nitra Region (Slovakia) and the Pardubice Region (Czech Republic). By conducting controlled interviews in the Nitra Region, we came to the conclusion of the financial under-dimensioning of this competency. By comparing the amount of state subsidies provided for the building procedure in both regions, significant differences were found. Based on our research findings, we recommend reassessing the state subsidies for the transferred competency in the field of building procedure.