This book is first of all an exploratory account of an under-researched aspect of socio-political dynamics on the territory of the former socialist Yugoslavia since the 1980s. It presents a rough analysis of the main characteristics and factors of civil society developments from the point of view of native experts. A common thread that runs throughout the monograph is the connection between the development of a modern civil society and the variations in democratic transition in the various territories of former socialist Yugoslavia.
COBISS.SI-ID: 279422720
The core of the research interest in the present monograph presents the role of organized civil society in decision-making processes of the European Union. We can identify two particular arguments for the inclusion of organized civil society in these processes. First, civil society operates on the principle of voluntary participation. Civil society organizations are organizations, which have arisen due to the initiatives of citizens themselves, are voluntary association of citizens that govern themselves. Therefore, they are a positive force for democratic development and play an important role in the interpretation, setting and discussion of social problems. Secondly, civil society organizations provide the decision makers with relevant information and expert opinions to which decision-makers can not otherwise get, and for which they lack resources. Organised civil society can simultaneously improve the effectiveness of policy-making and ensure the participation of citizens. In this regard, in the monograph we are trying to answer some key questions about the role and activities of organized civil society in the context of EU public policy process: (1) WHO is representing organized civil society in the EU and how it can be defined; (2) WHY is organized civil society engaged in the process of forming and implementing public policies of the EU; (3) HOW organized civil society trys to assert their own interests in the process of policy making in the EU?
COBISS.SI-ID: 280997120
The development levels of civil society organisations (CSOs) in Central and Eastern Europe are becoming increasingly comparable to those of Western European countries with longer histories of democracy. In certain respects, Slovenia has drawn closer to Western European levels than have other post-socialist countries in terms of civil society activity (i.e. the political participation of citizens. In this context, we can identify five features of civil society activity that are particular to Slovenia: (1) While opposition movement in civil society have actively contributed to the transition to democracy, Slovenia's transition has also radically changed the institutional and socio-economic environment. (2) The corporatist traditions tooted in the 19th century, which had found their way into the socialist system of self-management in former Yugoslavia, were also carried over into the post-1990 political system. (3) Civil society actors have increasingly assumed responsibility for services that were formerly part of the normal functioning of the state. (4) Slovenia's integration into the EU has, among other things, contributed to a proliferation of NGOs (co-)funded by EU subsidies, a rise in the overall activity of interest groups, and a decline in social partnership. (5) The long-term decline in national state funding of CSOs and the resulting problems in ensuring resources for CSOs seem to persist even though the worst of financial and economic crisis has passed.
COBISS.SI-ID: 34910301
The role of organised civil society from Slovenia and Croatia in EU policymaking can be justified from two perspectives: opportunity and encouragement. The first is the establishment of a new venue for policymaking. Membership of Slovenia and Croatia in the EU opened new opportunities, created new channels for domestic interest groups to enforce and express heir interest not simply by influencing national decision makers but also by entering European-level policymaking. We can understand the second perspective, encouragement, as promoting the inclusion of various interests in EU policymaking in order to reduce the EU's democratic deficit, ensure participation and better EU governance where all stakeholders are included in decision-making.
COBISS.SI-ID: 33815645
Interest groups are in general understood as a link between the public and the government. As such they represent a possible channel for citizens to influence the policy outcomes, which contributes to the legitimacy of adopted public policies and strengthens the democracy. Such understanding supports the thesis - more diverse interest group system is, more interests it represents, and more it contributes to democracy. Taking into consideration the observations of EU democratic deficit, the European Commission has started to rely more on participatory democracy. But not all interest groups are proficient to participate in EU policymaking. One of important factors that determine the success of interest groups in public policymaking is the level of professionalization. The activity of the organization is mostly led by the staff, while members are becoming less and less involved and the link between the organization and its constituency is becoming weak. However, if the interest groups want to be a relevant part of Europeanization processes and ensure inclusion of European citizens into EU policymaking, they need to act internally democratic. On contrary, we might face inequalities in representation.
COBISS.SI-ID: 35656541