The policy of administrative and territorial reorganisation of local government (1984 - 1994)

Abstract

The question of administrative and territorial restructuring on a mainly local level constitutes a permanent problem for the Greek state. This has been, very much apropos during the last ten years due to its decisive importance in the development and planning process. The reasons for the delay in dealing with this problem in comparison with other countries, should be primarily sought in the balances and political peculiarities of the country. The unsuccessful efforts and poor results of the last decade (1984 – 1994) show that there still exist profound political and social "reflexes" that hamper a brave reform in the direction of the creation of new and vigorous administrative units in the content of the first - degree Local Authorities. The objective difficulties, as well as policy inconsistency, absence of continuity and regression, in this field do not permit particular optimism, even today. Yet, the priority for the formation of new territorial and administrative entities in the course of European integration necessarily leads towards a new "architecture" of Greek space that constitutes a fundamental effort for the modernisation of the Greek state.