Participatívny rozpočet v Banskej Bystrici: Rozvoj, výzvy a pokrok (2014-2024)
Participatory Budgeting in Banská Bystrica: Development, Challenges, and Progress (2014–2024)
Ekonomika a spoločnosť, Volume 27, Number 1/2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24040/eas.2026.27.1.01
Odporúčaná forma citácie článku:
Švoňavcová, M. & Vaňová, A. (2026). Participatívny rozpočet v Banskej Bystrici: Rozvoj, výzvy a pokrok (2014-2024). Ekonomika a spoločnosť, 27 (1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.24040/eas.2026.27.1.01
Recommended form for quotation of the article:
Švoňavcová, M. & Vaňová, A. (2026). Participatory Budgeting in Banská Bystrica: Development, Challenges, and Progress (2014–2024). Journal of Economics and Social Research, 27 (1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.24040/eas.2026.27.1.01
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this paper is to present a detailed analysis of participatory budgeting as a mechanism for engaging the public in decision-making, while also identifying the main challenges associated with its implementation and development. The study focuses on the evolution and functioning of participatory budgeting in the city of Banská Bystrica. By applying both qualitative and quantitative approaches, it utilizes municipal data from 2014 to 2024 along with relevant literature to explore and interpret the factors that influence the effectiveness of participatory budgeting at the local level. The first section outlines the fundamental concepts and historical development of participatory budgeting. The second section examines the local process, detailing its rules, key stages, and the various ways in which citizens can participate. A statistical analysis then explores the relationships between the budget amount, the number of submitted projects, and voter turnout, while also taking into account the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the introduction of online voting via the Decidim platform in 2024. The findings reveal persistent challenges, including insufficient public communication, complicated procedures, and limited political support. At the same time, they point to positive developments, such as improved accessibility through online voting and a planned revision of the budgeting statute. Overall, the study concludes that participatory budgeting in Banská Bystrica has shown progress since 2023, but it still requires stronger institutional support and greater citizen engagement to fully realize its potential.
Key words: Participatory budgeting. Citizen participation. Local governance. Banská Bystrica. Municipal finance.