Development of Sub-Municipal Government in South-Eastern European Countries

Abstract

Local self-government is established as an institutional answer to create balance to the central government and improve democratic and development processes in the local community and the entire national society. On the other hand, sub-municipal government is established as a part of local political decentralization, with the aim of strengthening local political and administrative institutions of local government units. Both can be institutional solutions and an answer for initializing and supporting democratic processes in contemporary society. This article provides analysis of relations between political decentralization in local community and sub-municipal government as a tool for strengthening local political institutions in South-Eastern European countries. This analysis aims to show that sub-municipal government can be also a significant institutional instrument for changes in the local community.