Košice Self-governing Region
The Košice Self-governing Region or the Košice Higher Territorial Unit is one of Slovakia's eight "self-governing regions" whose territory is identical with that of the administrative Košice Region.
The establishing session of the first Council of the Košice Self-governing Region was held on December 19, 2001, in the historical hall of former Župný dom with the participation of 57 deputies elected in the first regional elections for the second level of self-government in Slovakia. Rudolf Bauer in 2001 was elected as the first president of the Košice Self-governing Region. His successor was Zdenko Trebuľa elected for the president of the Košice Self-governing Region on December 10, 2005. He was inaugurated on January 9, 2006.
His successor is the current president, elected in 2017 at 33, is the youngest regional president. Trnka ran as an independent with the support of various centre-right parties, the KDH, SaS, OĽaNO, NOVA, and, defeating his opponent, Richard Raši.
The seat of the Košice Self-governing Region is a former military headquarters building on the eastern part of the Námestie Maratónu mieru in Košice. It was completed in 1908 as the largest and the most modern building in the town at that time.