Abstract
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Period of post-social transition started at the political level by adopting new constitutions and call for multiparty parliamentary elections. Those were followed with a radical legislative interventions as well as transformation of previously socialistic political and administrative institutions into new ones more coping with the multiparty system and market economy, based on the standards of developed western countries. However, it has shown that many institutions have their own logic of development within the new circumstances while their change is not always straightforward, nor in accordance with European standards.
In determining the central administration scope, transition countries were advised to use of the flexible, moderate, cooperative and more open policy model which were more appropriate in western societies. However, it appeared that those countries should follow interventionist and regulatory policy direction. Therefore, reforms, although originally neo-liberal, were actually increasing and strengthening the role of the state in modernization processes. This was followed with the problem of central Government apparatus institutionalisation which demanded development of the government capable of decision making and capacity building for policy processes.
In the study authors analyse institutional development of Croatian government after the fall of the socialism, and compare it with the evolution in three post-socialist countries, now EU member states, Slovenia, Hungary and Lithuania. The main focus of the study is to analyse organisation of the Government office in public policies coordination. Government had to be transformed from the socialistic one, characterised by the membership loyal to the Communistic party, toward the modern Government with competent, politically neutral and professional Government office which can effectively coordinate the public policy processes.
The study is intended to explore scope and reach of this institutional change, more precisely to answer the question whether the Government office in Croatia as well as other similar organisations in selected countries have reached the new role in development, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of public policies, or they sustained mere administrative role by executing the orders of prime minister and ministers within the Government? This is followed by the question of necessity of change of bureaucratic organisation culture prevailing in socialistic period toward the professional-proactive, legal type of organisation culture.
Croatian Government is facing many obstacles in formulating public policies due to inter-organisation tensions, overlapping, lack of communications and coordination among different departments, as well as due to lack of capacities for policy development and implementation within the ministries. Incoherent public policies contain significant risks of duplication, ineffective public spending, lesser quality of services, obstacles in accomplishing of public goals, and, finally, lowering the governance capacities. It is of the major significance especially in the time of economic crises when the public resources are even less accessible. In order to minimise those shortcomings, the authors of the study analyse the adequacy of the joined up government concept in Croatia, which had been already accepted in UK and certain other OECD countries. This model allows greater horizontal and vertical coordination of the government and quality improvement of the work.
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