ANALYSIS OF MAYORS‘ OPINIONS OF THE ROLE OF MUNICIPALITIES IN THE PROTECTION, RESCUE AND RELIEF SYSTEM FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF WEATHER-RELATED DISASTERS

Abstract

Frequent natural phenomena which are the result of climate change, and which have occurred throughout the entire territory of the Republic of Slovenia in the last decade or two, whether it be cases of freezing rain, summer droughts, storms with strong winds and hail, or floods, show the vulnerability of modern societies, the intertwining and interdependence of key social infrastructure, the dependence on electric power distribution, and the weaknesses of information and communication systems (Komac 2020-21). As a rule, municipalities, which, in accordance with the normative framework, regulate and implement protection against natural and other disasters in their area, are the first to respond to such natural phenomena. The purpose of this article, which otherwise represents a relatively small part of a recently concluded major research project, is to present and analyse the opinions of mayors on the role of the municipality in the system of protection, rescue and relief in the case of weather-related disasters, based on extensive empirical research conducted with the mayors of Slovenian municipalities in the run-up to the local elections in 2022, and to propose some policy recommendations, based on the acquired data.