Abstract
The state administration represents an integral and irreplaceable part of a system of public administration in each country. The central administration authorities have state power, through which they apply laws and all national policies, thus interfering with every segment of public life and directly affecting functioning of society across the national territory. The importance of ministerial departments and other national bodies to society is unquestionable. However, in case of the Slovak Republic, there is a particular level of general local state administration. It has been in its current form since 2013 and it is represented by 72 district offices. For government and central ministries, district authorities constitute an important intermediary with citizens living in the remote regions. District offices through their competencies intervene in several important areas of public life such as business, housing, agriculture, registry, transport, or civil offences. During the COVID-19 pandemic, public institutions had to deal with many undesirable issues. The Slovak district offices received new assignments, such as cooperation with local self-governments during mass population testing and screening for COVID-19 disease. They also held hearing with citizens, who have violated pandemic regulations.
The paper’s main purpose is to identify and analyse scope of Slovak district offices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our objective will be to focus on new competencies and assignments, that district offices must have done during the pandemic and describe each activity and process carried out by district offices.
Keywords: State administration, local state administration, district offices, Slovakia, COVID-19.