Die Entwicklung der Verwaltungsreform in Estland in den Jahren 1989-2016. Haldusreformi areng Eestis aastail 1989-2016

Abstract

The paper treats important problems of administrative reform in Estonia in 1989-2016, such as the possibility of and need for the administrative-territorial reform, including merging of municipalities and definition of the administrative reform. Guided by the general concept of the IME project and the Principles of Economic Autonomy for Estonia Act, the Estonian SSR Supreme Council passed the resolution of 8 August 1989 concerning administrative reform in the Estonian SSR. The resolution prescribed the administrative reform for the republic during 1990-1994 including the decentralisation of power in the republic to the levels of local government, and a clear distinction between the functions of state and local government. After this reform the discussions on the theme of local government reform have been acute for a long time in Estonia, but no systemic, comprehensive and holistic reform of public administration has been done there up to now (Linnas 2011). The Administrative Reform Law, initiated by the government in 2016, includes the principles and procedures for carrying out the administrative reform, determines the minimum size of a local government unit and the relevant exceptions, and the rights and obligations deriving from the merging of local governments. The Law sets a 5,000 minimum limit to the population of a local government.