Statute of the Government Office of the Slovak Republic

(approved by Resolution No. 162 of the government of the Slovak Republic of 28 February 2007)

 

Article 1
Joint provisions

(1) The Statute of the Government Office of the Slovak Republic (hereinafter referred to as “the Statute”) defines the areas of competence and the functions of the Government Office of the Slovak Republic (hereinafter referred to as “the Office”), lays down the rules for its activity, the principles of its internal organisation and relations between the Office and state administration bodies and other legal entities, in accordance with the law ) and other generally binding legal regulations.

(2) The tasks, the rules of activity and the principles of the organisation of the Office laid down in the Statute are binding for the publication of the organisational regulations of the Office.
 

Article 2
Status of the Office

(1) The Office is a budgetary organisation of the state, whose income and expenditure are integrated into the state budget ).

(2) The Office is a legal entity whose seat is in Bratislava.

(3) The Office is a civil service office ).

(4) It is within the Office’s competence to establish state budgetary organisations and state contributory organisations.

 

Article 3
Area of responsibility of the Office

(1) The Office is a central state administration body with responsibility for

  • a) checking of the performance of tasks in the performance of state administration
  • b) checking the performance of tasks resulting from government resolutions,
  • c) checking action taken on petitions and complaints,
  • d) coordination of the performance of tasks for the development of information society,
  • e) coordination of the implementation of policies of the European Communities and the European Union.


(2) The Office also carries out tasks relating to the professional, organisational and technical requirements of the activity of the government of the Slovak Republic (the Government).

Article 4
Main functions of the Office

(1) The main functions of the Office are as follows

  • a) to check the performance of state administration tasks performed by
    • 1. ministries and other central state administration bodies, their subordinate bodies and other state bodies,
    • 2. legal entities established or founded by central state administration bodes, their subordinate bodies and  
    • 3. other state bodies,
    • 4. local state administration bodies and legal entities founded by them,
    • 5. municipalities, if they are assigned responsibility for the performance of a state administration function,
  • b) to check, in accordance with a government resolution, the effectiveness of the use of state budgetary funds allocated for the performance of state administration functions, including funds provided from abroad,
  • functions relating to the checking and protection of the financial interests of the European Community including cooperation with the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), as its contact unit in the Slovak Republic,
  • d) to check the investigations and actions taken in response to complaints and investigations and actions taken in response to petitions in public administration bodies,
  • to coordinate the checking of the performance of functions relating to the performance of state administration carried out by the Office and other control bodies pursuant to relevant regulations ),
  • f) to provide methodological guidance for public administration bodies in performing functions in state administration, in investigating and acting on complaints and investigating and acting on petitions,
  • g) to assist in the implementation of the government’s legislative initiatives and to coordinate the activities of ministries and other central state administration bodies in the area of legislation and the approximation of law,
  • h) to implement the electronic connection of central state administration bodies using the government computer network GOVNET,
  • i) to maintain the operations of the Central Portal of Public Administration,
  • j) to coordinate processes involved in the performance of undertakings resulting from the Slovak Republic’s membership of the European Union.
  • to coordinate, implement and direct foreign financial aid, to coordinate and direct the Operational Programme Information Society,
  • l) to perform functions within its area of responsibility deriving from legal acts of the European Communities and the European Union,
  • m) to identify and ensure that notification is given of laws and other general binding legal regulations of the Slovak Republic into which legal acts of the European Communities and the European Union have been transposed, in accordance with obligations to provide information and notification to the European Union,  
  • n) to coordinate the activities of ministries and other central state administration bodies in matters relating to human rights, national minorities and ethnic groups,
  • o) to provide for the activities of the Office of the Security Council of the Slovak Republic ),
  • p) to provide for the activity of the secretariat of the government’s consultative bodies,
  • q) to create conditions for the performance of the functions of the government plenipotentiaries who are integrated into the organisation structure of the Office.


(2) The Office shall also perform functions according to decisions of the government or the prime minister, in particular the following:

  • a) to initiate and coordinate the preparation of summary materials on the situation and development trends in the economic, social and cultural development of the Slovak Republic,
  • b) to participate in the preparation of the draft Government Manifesto and the checking of its implementation,
  • c) to prepare the draft work plan and the draft legislation plan for the government for the relevant period and to provide for checking of compliance with these documents after they are approved by the government,
  • d) to prepare for the meetings of the government and its consultative bodies operating within the Office and also staff meetings at the level of the prime minister and the deputy prime ministers who work within the Office, and to make organisational arrangements for such meetings.
  • e) to draft or manage the drafting of expert opinions on materials submitted to meetings of the government and the government’s consultative bodies,
  • f) to draft the written form of resolutions and other decisions of the government and to keep written records of them,
  • g) to manage organisational and administrative-technical tasks of the government in relations with the National Council of the Slovak Republic and the Office of the President of the Slovak Republic,
  • h) to ensure the publication of government regulations in Zbierka zákonov Slovenskej republiky (the Law Digest)
  • i) to prepare for the government, the prime minister and deputy prime ministers information, materials, analyses and proposed measures in all areas of social life relating to the performance of allocated tasks,
  • j) to prepare legal analyses and expert opinions for the prime minister and the deputy prime ministers,
  • k) to prepare proposals measures to ensure the performance of tasks required under resolutions of the National Council of the Slovak Republic and its bodies, to monitor and check their preparation and implementation,
  • l) to manage the government’s coordinating activity in the government’s antidrug policy and the fight against drugs,
  • m) to carry out protocol tasks within its area of responsibility, to perform tasks in the area of foreign policy and to perform certain functions in relation to international treaties and agreements,
  • n) to prepare proposals for the government defining the responsibility of ministries and other central state administration bodies for the taking over, application and adoption of measures at a national level in relation to legally binding acts of the European Communities and the European Union.
  • o) to provide information on the activity of the government and its decisions.


(3) The Office also provides for the performance of the functions of a service office with regard to employment relations in the performance of state service and the performance of the tasks of the supreme service office pursuant to relevant regulations ).

Article 5
Other functions of the Office

(1) The Office also performs the following functions

  • a) administration of a chapter of the state budget pursuant to relevant regulations, 1)
  • b) functions relating to the administration of state property ) and public procurement, )
  • c) to investigate and handle complaints and to investigate and handle petitions submitted to the Office in the area of the Office’s internal control activity.  
  • d) functions relating to defence ) and national security, )
  • e) functions relating to the protection of official secrets, ) including the functions of a departmental encryption unit ),  
  • f) functions relating to international relations, )
  • g) functions relating to the public administration information system, in accordance with relevant regulations, )
  • h) functions relating to the preparation of bills and other generally binding legal regulations, )
  • i) functions pursuant to other generally binding legal regulations,
  • j) functions laid down in government resolutions.


(2) The Office performs functions relating to the performance of nomination tests by civil servants pursuant to relevant regulations ).
(3) The Office also provides for the performance of the functions with regard to employment relations pursuant to relevant regulations ).

 

Article 6
Rules for the activity of the Office

(1) In the performance of its tasks the Office abides by the Constitution of the Slovak Republic, the legally binding acts of the European Communities and the European Union by which the Slovak Republic is bound, the laws and other generally binding legal regulations of the Slovak Republic, government resolutions, the statute and organisational regulations of the Office, the internal regulations of the Office, the civil service regulations of the Office.

(2) In its activities, the Office applies the organisational principles of state administration and forms and methods of work that rationalise work and increase its effectiveness, in particular by:

  • a) ensuring a professional approach to problem solving and the systematic checking of the performance of tasks,
  • b) making use of ideas and experience from ministries and other central state administration bodies with which it exchanges necessary information and materials and by discussing measures with them insofar as they affect them,
  • c) making use of ideas and experience from autonomous local authorities and the public,
  • making use of ideas from academic institutions and research facilities and involving such institutions in work involving in particular issues of a conceptual nature,
  • e) by making effective use of organisational and computer resources and team work.
  • Organisation of the office
 

Article 7

(1) The head of the Government Office of the Slovak Republic (the head of the Office) directs the Office, answers for its activity and acts as its statutory body. The head of the Office is appointed and dismissed by the government.

(2) In the absence of the head of the Office, he or she is represented in the scope of his or her rights and duties by the deputy head of the Office except in matters reserved by the head of the Office. The head of the Office may authorise the deputy head of the Office to represent him or her in other cases in the scope of his or her rights and duties. The deputy head of the Office is appointed and dismissed by the head of the Office. The head of the Office may also authorise senior employees and other managers in the Office to act as deputies within a part of the scope of his or her rights and duties.

(3) Functions pursuant to article 4(3), article 5(2) and article 9(7) and functions relating to the organisation of the Office as a civil service office are performed by the civil service office. The civil service office is managed by the head of the civil service office. The head of the service office is senior in the service to all employees of the office. The head of the civil service office is appointed and dismissed by the government on the proposal of the head of the Office.
(4) The hierarchy of management in the Office is as follows:

  • a) the head of the Office,
  • b) the deputy head of the Office,
  • c) the head of the civil service office,
  • d) the director generals of sections,
  • e) directors of divisions,
  • f) heads of sub-divisions
 

Article 8

(1) The Office is organised in sections. The sections are divided into divisions and the divisions may be divided into sub-divisions. The head of the Office may establish an autonomous division or autonomous sub-division or other specialised unit within the Office.

(2) Sections and autonomous divisions are the basic organisational units for management and decision-making and answer for the functions of the Office within the scope of their specific area of activities.

(3) The organisational units of the Office are managed by the senior employees ) and managers ) of the Office. A section is managed by the director general of the section, a division is managed by the director of the division and a sub-division is managed by the head of the sub-division. The office of the prime minister and the office of the deputy prime ministers are managed by directors.

(4) The internal organisation structure of the Office, a more detailed definition of the functions and mutual relations of the organisational units of the Office, the powers and responsibilities of the senior employees and managers are provided in the organisational regulations of the Office.

Article 9
Relations between the Office and state administration bodies and other legal entities

(1) In performing the functions laid down in articles 4 and 5 the Office cooperates with the Office of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, the Office of the President of the Slovak Republic, central state administration bodies and other state administration bodies in the Slovak Republic.

(2) The Office provides methodological direction and guidance to central and other state administration bodies in the Slovak Republic and to other institutions that may submit material for consideration by the government on the preparation of written materials to be submitted for consideration by the government  It shall exercise care to ensure that submitted material meets professional standards and is effective in ensuring the implementation of essential tasks in economic, social and cultural development and the reinforcement of the rule of law.

(3) The Office is entitled to discuss measures for the implementation of tasks laid down in government resolutions with the employees of central and other state administration bodies of the Slovak Republic.

(4) The Office checks the performance of tasks laid down by government resolutions and other government measures by central and other state administration bodies and notifies the prime minister and the deputy prime ministers of any deficiencies that it identifies and proposes measures to correct such deficiencies.

(5) The Office is entitled to instruct central and other state administration bodies of the Slovak Republic to provide information and other documents necessary for the activity of the government and its consultative bodies.

(6) The Office may request research institutions, universities, the Slovak Academy of Sciences and research workers and practical specialists in relevant fields to provide expert assessments, statements and opinions in relation to proposed legislative, economic, social, cultural and other measures.

(7) The Office is the personal office of the head of the service office appointed by the government in accordance with relevant regulations.

 

Article 10
Cancellation clause

The Statute of the Government Office of the Slovak Republic approved by the Resolution No. 214 of the government of the Slovak Republic of 17 March 1998 is hereby cancelled.

 

Article 11
Entry into effect

This statute enters into effect from the date when it is approved by the government.
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