Regionalism and Regional Self-Government in South-East Europe

The book analyses state of play regarding regional level of government in the countries of South East Europe, particularly countries succeeding former Yugoslavia (Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, and North Macedonia) using the research methods from the fields of Law, Public Administration and Political Science. The book offers fresh analytical perspective of the regional self-government issues in these countries, out of which every country has particular issues to deal with. Be it controversial territorial restructuring debate (Croatia), complex institutional system (B&H), dealing with territorial concentrated ethnic minorities (Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia) or the issue of small size and non/existence of regional forces (Slovenia, Montenegro). Besides the introductory (methodological) and concluding (synthesis, trends and issues for further research) chapters, the book contains country chapters written by experts from a particular country in the region who follow the same chapter structure which allows further comparisons. Besides that, the book contains three chapters on several cross-cutting issues such as position of ethnic minorities and their territorial (regional) concentration and institutional representation in the overall system of local and regional self-government, analysis of regional political parties and movements that influence the debate in these countries, and the analysis of position and interplay of decontenrated state administration and regional self-government in analysed countries. Contents Contributors Part I: Introduction Study of Regionalism and Regional Self-Government in South-East Europe 1 Different Path from the Same Framework 2 Rationale of the Study of Regionalism and Regional Self-Government in South-East Europe 3 Research Questions and Methodological Framework 4 Structure of the Book References Part II: Country Experiences Regionalisation and Regional Self-Government in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Complex Institutions in a Highly Complex and Divided S... 1 Introduction 2 Institutional and Political Contexts of Dayton and post-Dayton Bosnia and Herzegovina 3 Constitutional and Legal Position of Local and Regional Self-Government in Bosnia and Herzegovina 4 Discussion on Regionalisation of Bosnia and Herzegovina 5 Conclusion References Disputes About Regionalisation and Regional Self-Government in Croatia 1 Introduction 2 Institutional Legacy of Local and Regional Self-Government in Croatia 2.1 Local and Regional Self-Government During the Socialist Period (1945-1990) 2.2 System of Local Self-Government and Administration (1991-2001) 3 Constitutional Foundations and General Legislative Framework of Local and Regional Self-Government in Croatia 4 Territorial, Functional and Financial Peculiarities of Croatian Counties 4.1 Territorial Organisation 4.2 Functions and competences 4.3 Financial Capacity and Fiscal Autonomy 5 Current Debates and Perspectives on Regionalisation in Croatia 6 Conclusion References Local and Regional Self-Government in Kosovo: Building Democratic Institutions in a New State 1 Introduction 2 Overview of Local Self-Government 3 Constitutional and Legal Framework of Local Self-Government 4 Organization of Local and Regional Self-Government 5 Recommendations for Local Self-Governments ́ Improvement 6 Conclusion References Legal Sources Local and Regional Self-Government in Montenegro 1 Institutional Legacy of Local and Regional Self-Government 2 Modern Institutional Framework and Characteristics of the Local Self-Government System in Montenegro 3 Regional Level of Government in Montenegro-Needs and Perspectives of the Introduction of Regional Self-Government 3.1 Inter-Municipal Cooperation 3.2 Balanced Regional Development Policy 4 The Future of Local and Regional Self-Government in Montenegro: Official Reform Documents, Party Programs, Public Requests 5 Conclusion References Legal Sources Institutions of Territorial Self-Government in North Macedonia: Is There a Need for Change? 1 Social Context and Dilemmas Regarding Application of Ethnic Criteria in Administrative-Territorial Division 2 Regionalisation and Regions in North Macedonia 3 Local Self-government in North Macedonia 3.1 Limits of Municipal Autonomy 3.2 The Principle of Equitable Representation 4 Conclusion: Is There a Need for Territorial Change? References Regional Self-Government in Serbia: At Odds with Reality 1 Introduction 2 A Prologue: Serbia ́s Territorial Organisation Through History 3 The Twenty-First Century: State of Affairs 3.1 Provincial Competences 3.2 Organisation of Provincial Bodies 3.3 Regional Development Policy 3.4 The Peculiar Case of Belgrade 3.5 A Strategy for a Way Forward? 4 Conclusions References Slovenian Regional Self-Government that Lives Only in (Draft) Laws 1 Introduction 2 Path Dependency of Local and Regional Self-Government in Slovenia 2.1 The 1991 Constitution 3 Current Constitutional Position on Regional Self-Government 3.1 Political Activities Related to Establishing Regions After the Constitutional Changes in 2006 4 Pros and Cons Regarding Regionalisation in Slovenia 5 Conclusion References Part III: Cross-Cutting Issues Regionalism and Regional Self-Government as a Potential Answer to the Position of Ethnic Minorities in the South-East Europe 1 Introduction 2 Conceptual Framework 3 Comparison of Political Representation of Minorities in South-East Europe 4 Conclusion References Regional Political Movements in South-East Europe 1 Introduction 2 Regionalist Parties 3 Regionalist Parties in South-East Europe 4 Istria and Vojvodina 5 Measuring Regionalist Attitudes in South-East Europe 6 Conclusion References Interplay Between Deconcentrated State Administration and Regional Self-Government in South-East European Countries 1 Introduction 2 Deconcentrated State Administration and Regional Self-Government as Forms of Regionalisation 3 Deconcentrated State Administration in South-East Europe 3.1 Functionally Fragmented Model in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia 3.2 Personally Integrated Model in Serbia 3.3 Organizational Integration Model in Slovenia 3.4 Delegated Scope of Competence Model in Croatia 4 Discussion 5 Conclusion References Legal Sources Web Pages Part IV: Conclusion Common Roots but Different Paths of Regionalism and Regional Self-Government in South-East Europe 1 Introduction 2 Common Roots but Different Paths 3 The Main Trends in the Development of Regionalism and Regional Self-Government in South-East Europe 4 Conclusion References