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The capital of Poland, with 1.63 million inhabitants is the largest city in Poland. Together with its suburbs, it is also the second largest industrial area in Poland (after Katowice), with over 2.5 million inhabitants in the conurbation.
Before Oct. 27 2002, Warsaw was a municipal association of 11 Warsaw boroughs, with the powerful Centrum borough divided into seven districts and surrounded by 10 further boroughs. The Warsaw boroughs were independent to a large extent. They dealt with their own budgets, realized their own investment policies and had their own councils and boards. The city, with the mayor as the reigns, was dealing with tasks whose scope stretched beyond the borders of particular boroughs, such as communications, roads, the water and sewerage system or the promotion of the city. The city used its own profits and the financial contribution of Warsaw boroughs. Apart from the boroughs and the municipality association, there was also the Warsaw county, which governed some of the schools and cultural institutions, and took care of sanitation, construction and trade inspection.
Since Oct. 27 2002, when the new act on the structure of Warsaw came into force, the whole Warsaw has been one borough with the powers of the county, which was liquidated and divided into 18 districts. The former boroughs and districts of the Centrum borough have become districts-auxiliary units of the city of Warsaw.
For the first time in the history of Warsaw, residents elected the mayor in direct elections. The man chosen was Lech Kaczyński - professor of law, former minister of justice and former president of the Central Auditing Office (NIK). In his election campaign, Lech Kaczyński announced the most extesive transoformations to Warsaw management in comparison to other candidates.
The legislative authority in the new Warsaw borough is performed by the Warsaw City Council, reduced to 60 council members, and the mayor of Warsaw is the executive authority. The mayor and the Warsaw City Office will deal with tasks concerning the city in general and coordinate the work of districts. As before the reform, districts will serve the residents and handle local matters such as local roads, schools, kindergartens, the issuing of driving licenses, the registration of residents, and so on. However, their powers now stem from the Council and president of Warsaw, and their budgets and financial policies have to be consistent with those of the city.
Due to the reform, the city has gained a singular status, disposing with vast powers and an integrated budget (about zl.6 billion), encouraging the hope that the development of the city will become more rapid and harmonious. At least one year is needed for evaluations and practical, visible effects to emerge.
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