Page 286 - Beholding Liberty!

ΙΙ.7.Α
Administration
AT THE END of the first year of the Revolution, the First Nation- al Assembly convened at Epidaurus (December 1821-January 1822), in which the administration system was defined, called Provisional Administration of Greece. The principle of separation of powers was adopted, each corresponding to a body, the Legislative, the Executive and the Judicial. The legislative function was assigned to the two first ones, in such a way that their authority was «balanced out» by the right of veto: thus, the decisions of the Legislative were valid after they were ratified by the Executive, while the bills of the latter were enacted after their being voted by the Legislative. Furthermore, the Legislative, an elected body of nation representatives, among other things, approved the budget and controlled the general review, but also ratified the decisions about conducting war, pacification or conclusion of treaties. The Executive, consisting of five members, ap- pointed the Chief Secretary of State, who had the responsibility of external affairs, and the remaining seven ministers. Also, the Body had the right to make loan agreements by using public assets as col- lateral or to sell out part of them with the consent of the Legislative. Finally, the independent Judicial was responsible for the organization of the system of the Courts of Justice.
The same administrative structure was also maintained during the Second National Assembly, with a further strengthening of the Leg- islative. One of the most important decisions of the Second National Assembly was the abolishment of the local senates, whose existence had brought about an abundance of problems during the previous year: “since their existence came about as harmful, for all the great hurdles inflicted upon the progress of public economy, unanimously the Assembly issued a decision against them”. Additionally, a twelve member committee conducted the distribution of the Greek territory in counties, while it was decided the transportation of the capital city of the rebels from Corinth to Tripolitsa.
The Third National Assembly was conducted under different condi- tions, since the internal disputes and the destructive actions of Ibra- him have intervened. After continuous postponements, the Assembly occurred in Troezen at the end of March in 1827, deciding the cre- ation of a single member administrative institution, which would lead the Executive, establishing in this way the position of the Governor. Ioannis Kapodistrias, after his arrival he succeeded the suspension of the Troezen Constitution and he founded the “Panhellenion”, which had advisory character.
Finally, the Fourth National Assembly (Argos, July 11 - August 6 1829) ratified the powers concentrated on the Governor. Instead of the “Panhellenion”, a senate with few members was created, without de- cisive responsibilities as well.
Through the National Assemblies and their constitutional texts, the foundations were laid for the creation of a modern civil state, of western type.
286 BEHOLDING LIBERTY!
ΙΙ.7.A.1
Independent Newspaper of Greece, no. 34, p. 1 (24 April 1828) The Governor of Greece to the Panhellenion
about the need for administrative reforms
Library of the Hellenic Parliament
HERE, THE ACT 1324 of the Government is published, in which reference is made to administrative reconstruction and or- derliness as necessary requisites for the well-ordered function of the public services. In the opposite case, as the Governor remarks, slowness, disorder, confusion and even possibly abuse of power are legitimized. He stresses the problems in the management of the English loan money, but also of the national assets and proposes the formation of a Committee for the administrative reconstruction and the determination of the responsibilities of its various departments.