How does openness determine the economy of local territorial self-government? Evidence from Slovakia

The presented study analyzes the impact of openness and economy on Slovak cities and municipalities in the period 2010–2022 using correlation analysis. The results indicate a weak to moderate correlation between openness and transparency in the selected sample of Slovak cities, city districts, and the largest municipality. Significant improvement in the economic domain was observed in 2018. Correlation analysis also reveals that aspects such as public procurement and real estate sales have minimal impact on economic efficiency. Conversely, transparency in municipal enterprises and investments is closely related to economic outcomes. The findings suggest the need for further research and a better understanding of the dynamics between openness and economic outcomes for effective management of public resources and strengthening democratic processes in Slovak cities and municipalities.