The Lion & The Ringmaster: Croatia's Accession to the European Union
July 1, 2013 marked Croatia's official induction into the European Union. For Croatia this was the culmination of a long negotiation process filled with concessions and challenges. This situation inspired the question of how Croatia's alliance with the EU has affected the state? In order to analyze this relationship the aspects of Croatian identity and sovereignty were explored, in addition to the EU's principles and problems regarding member and candidate states. The evidence found within this investigation came from a number of literary sources ranging from the academic to official government documents. Furthermore, nine interviews were conducted within Croatia, which explored how the EU's influence has affected the Croatian state. Through this research it was conclusively found that Croatia's alliance with the EU creates problems and exasperates existing issues within the country. Furthermore, this situation showcases a pattern of discrimination within the EU that benefits Western European EU states at the expense of its Central and Eastern counterparts. As a result, the recommendations would be to promote awareness of the double standards and discriminations occurring within the EU, which victimize Central and Eastern European states, so that these countries may be able to preserve their identity and sovereignty.
Croatia, Euroskepticism, and the Identity Politics of EU Enlargement
Croatia's candidacy for membership in the European Union has aroused controversy on all sides, making it an interesting case study of the many strains of Euroskepticism.
Institutional development and good governance assessments in Croatia: an extended focus on corruption
This paper examines good governance assessments in Croatia and in selected CEE countries from 1996 to 2002. Croatia has a persisting low position compared to other CEE countries. The assumption that good governance is connected to economic and social development was confirmed. For CEE countries, government effectiveness, regulatory quality and rule of law positively correlate with control of corruption. In Croatia, the highest correlation exists between voice and accountability and control of corruption, and between government effectiveness and regulatory quality. The paper analysis developments of Corruption Perception Index for selected CEE countries, where the incidence of corruption in Croatia has been perceived decreasing from 1999 onwards. The results of various surveys were used to provide institutional background of corruption perceptions in Croatia, both at national and local level. The paper concludes that research on determinants and effects of good governance remains to be done for Croatia.