Original scientific paper
POLITICAL GRAMMAR OF FEDERALISM AND THE CROATIAN EXPERIENCE
Arsen Bačić
Abstract
In contrast to the majority of classic constitutional law countries which built constitutional democracy whithout federalism, Croatia, during constitutional development in the 20th century, has been marked by its experience of almost half a century of existence in a socialistic type of federation. For the greater part of its existence, the FNRJ (that is the SFRJ - Socialistic Federal Republic of Yougoslavia) (1945-1990), and within it Croatia too, practised a facade of federalism (CJ Friedrich). Neverthless, those involved, like it or not, had the opportunity to discover the political culture of federalism. Can the Croatianexperience of theory and practice of the principle of federalism be of use in the Republic of Croatia’s efforts to enter European integration? The author’s view is that every effort which surpasses traditional positive canons and which considers the potential of the federal principle as an open concept contributes towards this endeavour. This concept is based on the need to maintain Croatian identity and diversity in the EU which is a complex association of European states in which constitutional tolerance is the first principle.
Keywords
the principle of federalism; federalism; federation; the Republic of Croatia; the European Union
Hrčak ID:
31435
URI
Publication date:
5.3.2007.
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