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A representative (formerly known as an ablegát) is a person who represents citizens in representative democracies when decisions are made in representative assemblies. Representative assemblies can be created at various levels. In Slovakia, there are four levels of representative assemblies:

• The European Parliament – at the European Union level,
• The National Council of the Slovak Republic – at the national level,
• Representative bodies of self-governing regions – at the level of self-governing regions,
• Municipal, city, and local representative bodies – at the level of municipalities, cities, or city districts of Bratislava or Košice.

The municipal council is the representative body of the municipality, composed of members elected in direct elections by the inhabitants of the municipality for a term of four years. The office of council member is incompatible with the office of:

1. mayor,
2. employee of the municipality in which they were elected (this does not apply if the municipal employee is on long-term leave to perform the function of representative – pursuant to Section 136(2) of the Labor Code, as amended by Act No. 210/2003 Coll.),
3. statutory body of a budgetary organization or contributory organization established by the municipality in which they were elected,

According to §25 of Act No. 369/1990 Coll. Act of the Slovak National Council on Municipal Administration, the duties and powers of councilors are as follows:

Duties:

• to take an oath at the first meeting of the municipal council in which they participate,
• to participate in meetings of the municipal council and its bodies to which they were elected,
• to comply with the municipality's statutes, the rules of procedure of the municipal council and the principles of remuneration of members of the municipal council,
• to defend the interests of the municipality and its inhabitants,
• inform voters, upon request, about their activities and the activities of the municipal council,
• deepen their knowledge necessary for the performance of their duties as members.

Powers:

• submit proposals to the municipal council and other bodies,
• interpellate the mayor and members of the municipal council on matters relating to the performance of their work,
• request explanations from the directors of legal entities established or founded by the municipality on matters relating to their activities,
• request information and explanations from natural and legal persons carrying out business activities in the municipality on matters relating to the consequences of their business activities in the municipality,
• participate in reviews, inspections, and the handling of complaints and notifications carried out by municipal authorities,
• request explanations from state authorities on matters necessary for the proper performance of their duties as representatives.

The mandate of a representative shall expire:

a) upon refusal to take the oath or upon taking the oath with reservations,

b) upon expiry of the term of office,

c) by resignation (the mandate of a representative shall expire upon resignation only if the resignation was made orally in the minutes or in writing; in the case of written resignation, the effects of the resignation shall take effect upon delivery to the municipal office. Resignation cannot be withdrawn),

d) upon a final conviction for an intentional criminal offense or upon a final conviction for a criminal offense if the execution of the prison sentence has not been conditionally suspended,

e) upon deprivation of legal capacity or restriction of legal capacity,

f) change of permanent residence outside the municipality; in cities with self-governing districts, also in the event of a change of permanent residence outside the district in which they perform their duties,

g) if they do not attend a single meeting of the municipal council within one year,

h) in cases under Section 11(2), if the representative does not take legal action to remove the incompatibility of functions within 30 days of the date on which the incompatibility arises,

i) by the dissolution of the municipality, or

j) by death.

It is important that members are aware of their rights and obligations under Act No. 369/1990 Coll. Act of the Slovak National Council on Municipal Administration, as there are frequent cases of abuse of public office under Section 326 of Act No. 300/2005 (Criminal Code).