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György Csomós University of Debrecen Faculty of Engineering Debrecen Hungary

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In parallel with the change of the political-economic regime, the Hungarian system of public administration faced new challenges. Under state socialism, medium-level public administration was represented by the counties, which exercised strong control over the local governments of settlements in the hierarchic system of public administration. During the reforms of the public administration after the change of the political regime, the administrative roles of counties were withdrawn, and their functions were minimised upon the pressure of the settlements. Hungary came to witness a rather rare situation where in between the state and thousands of local governments no medium-level units of public administration with real powers existed. Nevertheless, the country’s accession to the European Union in 2004 brought about a change: it was necessary to create regions that were in line with the regional policy of the Community, but missing from the territorial structure of Hungary. As a result, on the medium level, in addition to counties and cities of county rank there emerged regions that were higher in the territorial hierarchy, but lacked local governments. Yet, the structural reform of public administration system did not stop at this point, because for years now the elevation of the county-based, deconcentrated bodies of public administration mediating governmental functions to the regional level has been in progress. It is clear for the larger cities of county rank that if the political and public administration is decentralised in Hungary, it will be an evident consequence to designate those cities that will serve as the seats of the regional governments, in practice the capitals of the regions. There is a sharp competition taking place for the possession of these regional functions, while the state is decreasing the number of potential actors via public administration and regional development. This study aims to answer which cities are suitable for acting as regional centres by the regional decentralisation of governmental functions and top-bottom regional planning.

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Editor-in-chief: Balázs SZENT-IVÁNYI

Co-Editors:

  • Péter MARTON (Corvinus University, Budapest)
  • István KÓNYA (Corvinus University, Budapest)
  • László SAJTOS (The University of Auckland)
  • Gábor VIRÁG (University of Toronto)

Associate Editors:

  • Tamás BOKOR (Corvinus University, Budapest)
  • Sándor BOZÓKI (Corvinus University Budapest)
  • Bronwyn HOWELL (Victoria University of Wellington)
  • Hintea CALIN (Babeş-Bolyai University)
  • Christian EWERHART (University of Zürich)
  • Clemens PUPPE (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology)
  • Zsolt DARVAS (Bruegel)
  • Szabina FODOR (Corvinus University Budapest)
  • Sándor GALLAI (Corvinus University Budapest)
  • László GULÁCSI (Óbuda University)
  • Dóra GYŐRFFY (Corvinus University Budapest)
  • György HAJNAL (Corvinus University Budapest)
  • Krisztina KOLOS (Corvinus University Budapest)
  • Alexandra KÖVES (Corvinus University Budapest)
  • Lacina LUBOR (Mendel University in Brno)
  • Péter MEDVEGYEV (Corvinus University Budapest)
  • Miroslava RAJČÁNIOVÁ (Slovak University of Agriculture)
  • Ariel MITEV (Corvinus University Budapest)
  • Éva PERPÉK (Corvinus University Budapest)
  • Petrus H. POTGIETER (University of South Africa)
  • Sergei IZMALKOV (MIT Economics)
  • Anita SZŰCS (Corvinus University Budapest)
  • László TRAUTMANN (Corvinus University Budapest)
  • Trenton G. SMITH (University of Otago)
  • György WALTER (Corvinus University Budapest)
  • Zoltán CSEDŐ (Corvinus University Budapest)
  • Zoltán LŐRINCZI (Ministry of Human Capacities)

Society and Economy
Institute: Corvinus University of Budapest
Address: Fővám tér 8. H-1093 Budapest, Hungary
Phone: (36 1) 482 5406
E-mail: balazs.szentivanyi@uni-corvinus.hu

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2023  
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CiteScore 1.5
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Society and Economy
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Society and Economy
Language English
Size B5
Year of
Foundation
1972
Volumes
per Year
1
Issues
per Year
4
Founder Budapesti Corvinus Egyetem
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Address
H-1093 Budapest, Hungary Fővám tér 8.
Publisher Akadémiai Kiadó
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ISSN 1588-9726 (Print)
ISSN 1588-970X (Online)