The topic of a possible merger between Bolesławiec and Gmina Bolesławiec has returned to the public debate, although at this point there are no official statements confirming that a formal procedure has begun.

– I inform you that neither in 2025 nor so far has any application for a merger been submitted to the Legal Supervision Department of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship Office – says the spokesperson for the Lower Silesian Voivode, Tomasz Jankowski.

The Mayor of Bolesławiec declares that he will support anyone seeking the office of wójt who includes the integration of both local governments in their platform. If no candidate supporting the merger of the urban and rural municipalities comes forward, Piotr Roman does not rule out running himself to head the Bolesławiec Rural Municipality.

What does a municipal merger involve?

A municipal merger is an administrative process that leads to the creation of a single local-government unit. In practice, this would mean abolishing the separate status of the rural municipality and incorporating its area into the city, or creating a shared urban-rural municipality.

The decision in this matter is made by the government—specifically, the Council of Ministers—by means of a regulation. Before that can happen, the following are required, among other things:

  • public consultations among residents,
  • opinions from the local governments concerned,
  • the voivode’s position.

One important point: even if residents are opposed or one of the municipalities does not want the merger, the government may make the decision despite the opposition.

Possible effects on residents

A possible merger could bring both benefits and challenges. The most frequently mentioned aspects include:

  • local-government finances – changes in the structure of revenues and expenditures,
  • local taxes – potential standardization of rates,
  • infrastructure management – roads, schools and public transport,
  • spatial planning – a shared development policy.

On the other hand, residents of the rural municipality may fear losing influence over local decisions, as well as changes in the cost of living.

Could Bolesławiec become a city with county rights?

Experts emphasize that a municipal merger alone does not automatically grant the city the status of a so-called city with county rights. This is a separate decision, also made by the Council of Ministers, and it mainly concerns larger urban centers.

More questions than answers for now

At this stage, it is difficult to determine the direction of the changes. The key factors will be:

  • official positions of the local governments,
  • the possible start of public consultations,
  • decisions by the government administration.

If reports of analyses at the voivode’s level are confirmed, this could mark the beginning of a process that, if implemented, would have a significant impact on the functioning of the entire region.

Information about the entire merger procedure

Pursuant to Article 4(1)(1) of the Act of 8 March 1990 on municipal self-government, the Council of Ministers, by means of a regulation, creates, merges, divides and abolishes municipalities and determines their boundaries (Journal of Laws of 2025, item 1153; hereinafter: the Act). A regulation may also be issued at the request of the council of the municipality concerned (Article 4(2)). Issuing a regulation requires the minister responsible for public administration to obtain the opinions of the councils of the municipalities concerned, preceded by consultations with residents conducted by those councils. If the regulation were to be issued at the municipality’s request, then under Article 4b(1) of the Act, the following would be necessary:

Submission by the municipal council of an application preceded by consultations with residents conducted by that council, together with a statement of reasons and the necessary documents, maps and information confirming the legitimacy of the application,
Obtaining the opinions of the councils of the municipalities covered by the application, preceded by consultations with residents conducted by those councils, and in the event of a change to municipal boundaries that infringes county or voivodeship boundaries—the opinions of the relevant county councils or voivodeship assemblies,

Obtaining the opinion of the voivode competent for the municipality or municipalities covered by the application.

Pursuant to Article 4b(3) of the Act, “the municipal council submits the application referred to in paragraph 1 to the minister responsible for public administration through the voivode, by 31 March.” A local referendum may also be held on the creation, merger, division or abolition of a municipality and the determination of municipal boundaries, on the initiative of residents, as referred to in Article 4c of the Act.

At the same time, it should be noted that the Council of Ministers does not carry out the changes referred to in Article 4(1)(1) of the Act if:

  1. the tax revenue per resident of the municipality within the changed boundaries, or of the municipality created, would be lower than the lowest tax revenue per resident established for individual municipalities in accordance with the Act of 1 October 2024 on the revenues of local-government units
  2. the municipality within the changed boundaries, or the municipality created, would be smaller than the smallest municipality in Poland in terms of population, according to the figures as of 31 December of the year preceding the publication of the regulation referred to in Article 4