Bratislava pushes forward with enhancing the performance of municipal companies

In 2019 the city made the companies more transparent and accountable – now it wants to also boost their performance

During 2019, the Slovak capital of Bratislava launched a process of transparent selection procedures for directors and members of boards of directors in all contributory organizations of the city and in four city companies. These were the first steps in stopping the uneconomic actions in municipal companies and setting up the system so that we have a better overview and better control over what is happening in municipal companies.

The city’s government is now continuing its efforts to increase the performance and efficiency of municipal companies and their new managements - in the mayor's office a Municipal Business Administration Department is being created, whose head will be responsible for the strategic management of municipal enterprises.

Taking accountability and efficiency to the next level

After revising the company's articles of association, thus strengthening the city's position as a shareholder, and thus gaining greater influence, control and oversight of the company's operations, officials want to continue and achieve the highest possible performance of city companies. It is the Municipal Business Administration Department that will lead them to do this in cooperation with directors who have emerged from transparent selection procedures.

The main task of the Municipal Business Administration Department is to improve the management of municipal enterprises. This goal will be achieved through two main approaches:

• Effective continuous control of the management of municipal enterprises
• Exploiting mutual synergies between urban enterprises

During 2020, the city introduced regular financial reporting of companies, which allows us to monitor how companies manage and manage finances, as well as whether they comply with the financial plan approved by the city in the previous year. The goal is to motivate companies for even better management, for better results. For 2020, the city has set performance criteria for urban businesses, which it will now evaluate

The second axis consists of an approach to improving business management meant to exploit the synergies between urban businesses. The goal is to create a common strategy that will result in even more efficient management. What every city enterprise does today, in its own direction and just for itself, can be easier, cheaper and sometimes even better if the companies come together and work together.