Paper/Speech Details of Conference Program for the 19th NISPAcee Annual Conference Program Overview Public Policy Analysis Development Issues Author(s) Veli Kreci South East European University Tetovo Republic of North Macedonia Murphy Philip, Philip J. Murphy Title Identifying quasi-legitimate actors in the policy-making process: Case Macedonia File Paper files are available only for conference participants, please login first. Presenter Abstract Quasi-legitimate actors in Macedonia have alternately dominated and consequently have been subsumed by the state. As such, these actors have come to play a substantial role in state development. In this work, we define quasi-legitimate actors as individuals or groups who seek to either enter, or influence state policy processes, often in a rent seeking capacity. Although more established, stronger states have mechanisms to reduce the direct impact of such persons on policy making, the comparatively weaker newly independent states such as Macedonia are frequently left with little option but to incorporate such actors into the state’s policy making considerations. In this paper, we outline the conditions within the Republic of Macedonia that have made it possible for extra-governmental actors to repeatedly capture public resources while strengthening their exclusive position in regard to policy making. We argue such behavior has simultaneously hindered and helped state development through the incorporation of various stakeholder interests. The ultimate irony of the situation being that nefarious and rent-seeking behavior can serve a positive function within a state – by allowing the state to capture outside interests – even while the short-term effect is negative.
