Original scientific paper

Corruption in Croatia: Perceptions Rise, Problems Remain

Jelena Budak

Abstract

The main hypothesis of this paper is that there is a high perception of corruption in Croatia, which is an obstacle to socio-economic development. Fighting corruption is a necessary criterion for the Croatian membership in the European Union, and the lack of effective implementation of anti-corruption policy measures makes the existing anti-corruption policy still inefficient. The corruption prevalence in Croatia is analysed from three different viewpoints. The first one examines international ranking of Croatia as a relatively highly corrupt country. This is followed with the analysis of recent survey results investigating the corruption perceptions of citizens and thirdly, the corruption perceptions of entrepreneurs in Croatia. The results point out the sectors and forms of highest corruption prevalence. The importance of corruption as an obstacle to economic development is evaluated. The comparison of the adopted anti-corruption measures with the EU recommendations indicates that implementation requires further and continuing efforts. The anti-corruption policy recommendations emphasise the importance of political commitment in reducing corruption for the general benefit of Croatia, not only in the context of future membership in the European Union.

Keywords

corruption; Croatia; anti-corruption policy

Hrčak ID:

18396

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/18396

Publication date:

10.4.2006.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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