ABSTRACT
A priori supervision of the regional tier is exercised by the national government. This is undertaken by the state commissioner for the region. Regional legislation does not become law until this centrally appointed official signs the relevant bill. This must be done within 30 days unless the government wishes to object, in which case the bill is referred either to the constitutional court (which may annul it) or, if the bill in question presents a conflict of interest with the state or other regions, to the national parliament (Council of Europe, 1993, p 31). The latter process has never been used. In practice, the jurisdiction of the court has expanded to include such conflicts of interest (Zariski, 1987, p 114). Financial and administrative supervision of the regional tier exists through the regional accounting courts and tribunale amministrativo regionale (TAR) respectively (Hine, 1993, p 262).
