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Administrative Aspects of Regional and Cohesion Policy in Croatia: In Search for a Better Coordination of Parallel Processes

The aim of the paper is to present and critically assess a state of play of regional and cohesion policy in Croatia with the emphasis on the new policy, legal and institutional framework in the overall context of general administrative reforms and the process of decentralization. Two parallel development processes can be noticed regarding these policy areas. The first one is connected with the earlier activities on the preparation of policy, legal and institutional framework for the regional policy, while the other development process is more related to the broader context of IPA implementation and previous instruments of pre-accession assistance in Croatia, namely CARDS, PHARE and ISPA. It is argued that these processes sometimes run on parallel tracks which are not adequately connected as they should naturally be. This led to, or is being result of institutional fragmentation and weak administrative coordination among several central administrative bodies, formally in charge of these policy areas. The level of involvement of the regional and local actors as well as the economic and social partners also varies in these two areas. Policy, legal and institutional framework for regional and cohesion policy are analyzed in order to strengthen the argument in favor of improvement of the overall institutional capacity for better coordination and institutional reshuffling in these two very closely interlinked policy areas. The paper is based on a case study method and covers development of the Croatian regional and cohesion policy in the period from 2005, when the main policy and legal documents were drafted and the institutional framework being developed, onwards, analyzing the current development in these areas.

regional and cohesion policy – Croatia; regional development; decentralization; institutional capacity; administrative coordination; administrative reform

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