Local Public Administration

- Constitution of Romania

SECTION 2 - Local public administration

ARTICLE 120 - Basic principles

(1) The public administration in territorial-administrative units shall be based on the principles of decentralization, local autonomy, and deconcentration of public services.

(2) In the territorial-administrative units where citizens belonging to a national minority have a significant weight, provision shall be made for the oral and written use of that national minority's language in the relations with the local public administration authorities and the decentralized public services, under the terms stipulated by the organic law.

ARTICLE 121 - Commune and town authorities

(1) The public administration authorities, by which local autonomy in communes and towns is implemented, shall be the Local Councils and Mayors elected, in accordance with the law.

(2) The local Councils and Mayors shall act as autonomous administrative authorities and manage public affairs in communes and towns, in accordance with the law.

(3) Authorities under paragraph (1) may also be set up in the territorial-administrative subdivisions of municipalities.

ARTICLE 122 - County Council

(1) The County Council is the public administration authority coordinating the activity of commune and town councils, with a view to carrying out the public services of county interest. The Prefect Administration of justice Statute of judges Courts of law

(2) The County Council shall be elected and shall function in accordance with the law.

ARTICLE 123 - The Prefect

(1) The Government shall appoint a Prefect in each county and in the Bucharest Municipality.

(2) The Prefect is the representative of the Government at a local level and shall direct the decentralized public services of ministries and other bodies of the central public administration in the territorial-administrative units.

(3) The powers of the Prefect shall be established by an organic law.

(4) Among the Prefects, on the one hand, the Local Councils and the Mayors, as well as the county councils and their presidents, on the other hand, there are no subordination relationships.

(5) The Prefect may challenge, in the administrative court, an act of the County Council, of a Local Council, or of a Mayor, in case he deems it unlawful. The act thus challenged shall be suspended de jure.