Poland and Silesia
Poland is divided into 16 administrative regions - Voivodeships. The Prime Minister appoints a Voivode for each Voivodeship upon the motion of the Minister of the Interior and Administration. The Voivode represents the Polish Government and the central administration.
The Silesian Voivodeship Office supports the Silesian Voivode in performing his statutory tasks. These are:
- to implement the Government's policies, including regional policy, in respect of local conditions,
- to control activities of government administration units (Police, Fire and Rescue Service, Education Authority, Regional Service for Historic Monuments Preservation etc.) and secure proper conditions for them to act effectively,
- to ensure co-operation between central administration and self-government units in emergency situations of natural disasters and when environment, country's security and civil rights are endangered,
- to represent the Council of Ministers at national ceremonies and during the visits of representatives of other states,
- to co-operate with representatives of foreign states and international governmental and non-governmental organizations,
- to supervise activities of local self-governing bodies in the region (at the level of municipalities, administrative districts and regions).