Croatian and Comparative Public Administration

Foreword

Vedran Đulabić — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 10:13:32 +0000

Challenges of Intergovernmental Relations in Non-Federal Countries: Reflections on the Management of the COVID-19 Crisis in the Netherlands

Esteban Szmulewicz — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 08:06:53 +0000

Intergovernmental relations (IGR) have emerged as a significant research topic in all sorts of political systems, with an increasing body of literature focusing on non-federal countries. Moving research beyond the more known federations has the advantages of emphasising the “in-flux” nature of IGR as well as tackling concerns regarding the adequate balance between effectiveness and democracy in multilevel arrangements. This paper addresses the challenges that IGR pose to democratic legitimacy and accountability, by analysing the case of the Netherlands’ management of the COVID-19 pandemic. It focuses on the functioning of the safety regions (SR), particularly the strengthening of the municipal (or regional) executive, at the expense of representative institutions and particularly the local councils. In addition, the lack of accountability mechanisms, and the prominent role of the so-called Safety Council, which could have a significant impact on regionalisation and IGR in the Netherlands, are also discussed. While some reports have called for a stronger and more formalised position of the Safety Council, without an adequate and clear legal framework, this institution for organisational coordination can lead to many challenges from the point of view of democratic multilevel constitutionalism. Yet, on the other hand, the formalisation of existing governance practices might impact the need for rapid responses in crisis management. Overall, two contributions might be learned from the Dutch experience. First, the change in balance within subnational institutions, with the executives now playing a larger and stronger role, and the city councils being less involved in determining policies and with limited real accountability practices. Second, the transfer of powers from local municipalities to safety regions, and from regions to the Safety Council, through the extensive and prolonged application of the SR, thus altering the normal allocation of powers and competences, and the traditional channels for intergovernmental relations.

Improving the Competencies of Municipal Employees: The Case of Armenia

Arman Avetyan, Goharik Martirosyan, Svetlana Baghdasaryan — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 09:51:12 +0000

This article provides a thorough analysis of the current state and challenges related to the professional development of municipal employees in the Republic of Armenia. The study carefully examines the impact of existing administrative-territorial structures, legislative frameworks and the dynamics of local governance on the competencies of municipal employees. Through the use of statistical data and comparative analysis, the authors identify an urgent need for improved training programmes, the implementation of a comprehensive competency matrix, and a shift towards a more customer-oriented approach to municipal services. Key findings from the research highlight the importance of aligning training and development initiatives with the real needs of local government. The introduction of a competency matrix serves as a strategic tool for identifying skills gaps and structuring targeted training interventions. Furthermore, the study addresses issues of gender imbalance within local government roles, advocating for equitable representation and empowerment of women in local governance. The article also explores the positive impact of international cooperation and exchange, which can provide valuable insights and best practices for local governance reform in Armenia. Engagement with international programmes and the adoption of innovative governance models are highlighted as crucial steps towards more efficient, transparent and responsive local government. Overall, the research makes a compelling case for systemic reform of local government training and development in Armenia. By focusing on skills enhancement, gender equality and international cooperation, the article contributes valuable perspectives to the discourse on local governance reform, with implications beyond the Armenian context.

The Artificial Intelligence Act Between the EU and National Levels: The Slovenian Case Study

Polonca Kovač, Matej Babšek, Aleksander Aristovnik — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 09:54:20 +0000

This article examines the complex legal and policy dimensions of the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act (AIA), focusing on its implementation in Slovenia. Although the AIA is a binding regulation directly applicable in all EU Member States, its hybrid nature—part legal mandate, part policy guideline—creates interpretative and practical challenges, especially for national administrative authorities. Using a three-stage methodology (normative analysis, expert survey, and focus group discussions), the study examined how Slovenian authorities perceive the AIA’s legal character, scope of application, and implementation obligations. Respondents included both institutional (ministries) and operational (tax and social services) authorities. While most recognised the formal status of the AIA as law, significant discrepancies were found in terms of awareness and readiness. Operational authorities such as the Centre for Social Work often viewed the AIA as a guideline rather than a binding regulation. Knowledge of related EU legislation (e.g., GDPR, Digital Services Act) varied from authority to authority, which impacted implementation strategies. The findings reveal three critical gaps: legal misinterpretation, institutional readiness, and actual application. Despite a shared understanding of the importance of the AIA, implementation measures, such as training, clear role definitions, and inter-agency collaboration, were insufficient or delayed. In addition, the authorities did not sufficiently recognise their role and the need for national coordination. The study concludes that effective implementation of the AIA requires not only legal clarity, but also structured action plans, sustained intergovernmental cooperation, and practical support mechanisms. These findings are especially relevant for smaller EU states, where legal formalism and limited resources hinder policy implementation. Slovenia’s experience serves as a cautionary tale and a learning opportunity for other Member States grappling with the multi-level governance of AI regulation.

The Role of Electronic Records Management Systems in Enhancing Accountability in Educational Institutions: Evidence from Indonesian Senior High Schools

Nina Oktarina, Edy Suryanto, Dian Fithra Permana, Ahmad Saeroji — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 09:57:13 +0000

This paper aims to explore how Electronic Records Management Systems (ERMS) can strengthen accountability in schools. We have three main objectives: analysing the role of ERMS in supporting school accountability, measuring the quality of ERMS based on user responses, and assessing the impact of ERMS use on archivist performance. Data were collected from 40 ERMS users and observations of 20 archivists. The results showed that ERMS has excellent quality in terms of reliability, information quality, service, objectivity, user satisfaction, and net benefits. Analysis of document availability based on eight national education standards revealed a high level of document availability and completeness, which supports school accountability. ERMS has been shown to improve the efficiency and accuracy of archivists’ work, where the majority of archivists are able to find documents in less than a minute. The study concluded that ERMS are a very valuable tool in supporting user tasks, strengthening accountability, and transparency in education management. The study also recommends that schools continue to adopt and optimize the use of ERMS to improve document management and accountability. Continuous training for archivists is needed so that they can utilize these systems optimally. In addition, periodic evaluation of system performance and user satisfaction is needed to identify areas for improvement. Further research is recommended to explore the long-term impact of ERMS use on school academic and operational performance, as well as the integration of these systems with other educational technologies.

Reforming Military Law and Service in Ukraine: Lessons from the Military Police of Other Countries

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 10:02:52 +0000

This article offers an in-depth analysis of the military police systems in various countries, including the gendarmerie, and provides concrete proposals for reforming the Ukrainian system of military legislation and order. The study underscores the urgent need to strengthen the service’s role in maintaining law and order within the Ukrainian Armed Forces, particularly given its current limitations in conducting criminal investigations and engaging in operational activities. At present, when criminal offenses are identified, military personnel are compelled to hand over cases to civilian law enforcement bodies such as the main police institution or the State Bureau of Investigation. This has not only caused procedural delays but also limits the military legislation and order system’s ability to ensure effective oversight and discipline within the military ranks. By drawing on the experiences of military police structures in countries such as the United States, Spain, France, and Turkey, the article demonstrates the advantages of granting military police forces greater investigative powers and specialised training to handle military-specific offenses. The analysis highlights how these international models combine military and civilian law enforcement techniques to maintain discipline and legal order. The article proposes a series of reforms aimed at empowering Ukraine’s system of military legislation and order, including granting it the authority to conduct independent investigations, engage in operational intelligence activities, and implement preventive measures. These reforms were intended to enhance the service’s capacity to maintain discipline, prevent offenses, and improve the overall effectiveness of law enforcement within Ukraine’s armed forces.

The Rights of Citizens in Krbek's Doctrine of Administrative Law

Ivan Kosnica — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The subject of the paper is the scientific activity of the professor of administrative law Ivo Krbek from the beginning of his scientific work in the early 1920s until the end of his scientific career in the 1960s in the part related to the rights of citizens. The aim of the paper is to establish the basic tenets of Krbek's doctrine on the rights of citizens and to determine any changes and adjustments of attitudes during his forty-year scientific career. The analysis of Krbek's work is divided into three time periods: the interwar period, his activities during World War II and his activities after World War II. Within the interwar period, the books on administrative law from 1929 and 1932, the book on discretionary assessment from 1937 and the book on self-government from 1939 are analysed as particularly important. In the analysis of the activities during World War II, the material on national liberation committees proved to be essential for the analysis. Krbek's scientific activity in the field of citizens' rights in the period after World War II is analyzed on the basis of an article on citizens' rights from 1948 and chapters in books on administrative law that Krbek wrote during the 1950s and early 1960s. The author establishes in the paper that during the second half of the 1930s Ivo Krbek abandoned the liberal doctrine regarding citizens' rights, that he relativized the concept of subjective rights and that he accepted the idea of objective legality as the main purpose of the legal order. The author points to the fact that Krbek already then emphasized the importance of taking greater account of general social interests as opposed to individual rights and interests of citizens. The author shows in the paper that Krbek further radicalized these positions after World War II when, in accordance with socialist understandings, he made citizens' rights dependent on duties and on the general social interests of the socialist community.