|
Poland Council of Ministers
The highest administrative organ of state authority,
the
Council of Ministers (commonly called the cabinet), and
its
chairperson, the prime minister, constitute the acting
government. The Council of Ministers answers to the Sejm
or,
between Sejm sessions, to the president. Prior to the
adoption of
the Little Constitution, the Sejm could dismiss individual
ministers or the entire Council of Ministers on its own
initiative. The Little Constitution restricts this
prerogative by
requiring the Sejm to nominate an alternative candidate
supported
by an absolute majority of Sejm deputies. If the Sejm
produces no
such candidate, no vote for dismissal may be taken. The
Little
Constitution also eliminates the president's power to move
for
the government's dismissal.
The authority of the Council of Ministers is quite
broad. The
council coordinates the activities of the ministries and
their
subordinate entities. Among its other legally specified
functions
is compiling an annual state budget and presenting it to
the Sejm
and the Senate for approval. The Council of Ministers also
presents an annual report on the previous year's budgetary
implementation. Other constitutional functions include
ensuring
public order; protecting the interests of the state and
the
rights of individual citizens; guiding foreign policy and
national defense; and organizing the armed forces and
setting
induction quotas. In running the Council of Ministers, the
prime
minister is assisted by one or more deputy prime ministers
and a
director of the Office of the Council of Ministers. In
mid-1992,
the government consisted of seventeen ministries, the
Office of
Central Planning, and three ministers without portfolio
(see The Suchocka Government
, this ch.).
The jurisdiction of the ministries is defined by
statute, on
the basis of which the ministries issue decrees and
regulations.
Under secretaries of state and vice ministers provide
managerial
support to the ministers. For certain ministries with
exceptionally broad responsibilities, the position of
secretary
of state was established. The prime minister has authority
to
appoint and dismiss secretaries and under secretaries of
state.
Data as of October 1992
|
