1. COGITO Professor Ivan Koprić Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb September, 3 rd 2009

2. Croatia Independence at the beginning of the 1990s Self-management legacy (public interest, public participation, social welfare) War and rebellion (1991-1995) and the period of reconstruction Economic transition (from social ownership economy to free market economy) Privatisation of social ownership as grounds for economic way of thinking, neo-liberalist tendencies and managerial doctrine in the public sector Europeanisation efforts have raised the issue of good governance 4,437,460 inhabitants; 6,750 settlements; 56,594 sq km; 89% of Croats

3. The Croatian Public Administration System Structure: a)State administration -ministries (16) -state administrative organisations (9) -central state offices (3) -offices of state administration at county level (20) b)Local and regional self-government c)Public services (services of general interest) – central or local responsibility; reforms; independent regulatory agencies Personnel: a)65,000 in state administration b)14,000 in self-governments c)over 200,000 in public services at both central (180,000) and local level (23,500)

4. Territorial Organisation  Two-tier system -418 communes + 68 towns -20 counties + City of Zagreb  Increase in number of local units (from 486 to 555; 14,2%) -communes: 429 (2.6%); 1.371.987 inhabitants (31%) -towns: 126 (+ Zagreb with special status) (85.3%); 3.065.473 inhabitants (69%) -average: 7,967 inhabitants in 12 settlements -large towns (since 2005; over 35,000 inhabitants – 15 of them) -self-government below municipal level (territorial committees)  No changes in number of counties, but changes in their role and structure - average: 211,308 inhabitants with Zagreb; 183,000 without it; 334 settlements - large differences and disparities between counties  The City of Zagreb: 779,145 inhabitants; city and county status + transferred state administrative tasks (otherwise organised within the offices of state administration)  NUTS II: three statistical regions (North-West C., Middle and Eastern-Panonian C., Adriatic C.)

5. Competencies Local units (towns and communes): regulation of settlements and housing, spatial and urban planning, utility services, childcare, social welfare, primary health care, elementary education, culture, physical education and sports, consumer protection, environment protection, fire protection, and civil defence Large towns have two more groups of affairs: issuing location and construction licences and other urban planning documents, and maintenance of public roads Counties: education, health services, spatial and urban planning, economic development, traffic and traffic infrastructure, planning and development of a network of educational, social, cultural and health institutions, issuing location and construction licences and other urban planning documents in the territory outside large towns, and maintenance of public roads outside large towns

6. Conclusions 1.Legal situation: to complete regulatory framework of local self-government 2.Introduction of direct elections of mayors 3.Rationalisation of local and regional structure? 4.Lack of financial resources 5.Promotion of regional and local development as one of the main task 6.Hesitating decentralisation with low political and public support

7. Thank you! Professor Ivan Koprić Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb Mailto: ikopric@pravo.hr