Problems associated with the notion of “public duties” and “public utility services” with regard to the principle of the autonomy of local self-governments in Poland – an analysis of selected issues

The aim of this paper is to highlight specific features related to the performance of public duties by local self-governments, focusing on their autonomy. Hence, it is essential that the conceptual boundaries of such notions as ‘public duties’ and duties associated with ‘public services’ are established at the outset. The current lack of clarity contributes to the complexity of the issue, and this is further complicated by a lack of clear legal regulations which would explicitly define the acceptable way in which public duties assigned to local self-governments are to be implemented. These issues suffice to explain the choice of the topic tackled in this study. Admittedly, it will not provide answers to all the problems associated with the public utility services which fall within the scope of the public duties discharged by particular local self-government units: gmina (municipality/commune), powiat (county), or województwo (voivodeship). However, it may form the basis for further research to be conducted in this field. Therefore, within the framework of this paper, issues related to local self-governments, their autonomy, and the concepts of ‘public duties’ and ‘duties in the field of public utility’ will be discussed. These issues are important, as they are inextricable from the decentralization of public authority, which consists in assigning numerous public duties to be fulfilled by local self-governments.