The Influence of the Decentralisation Process on Personnel Capacity Strengthening in Croatian Units of Local and Regional Self-Government

Cilj rada je ispitati utjecaj procesa decentralizacije na jačanje personalnih kapaciteta u hrvatskim jedinicama lokalne i područne (regionalne) samouprave (JLPRS). Prvo se upućuje na temeljne karakteristike procesa decentralizacije u postsocijalističkim zemljama, a zatim se prati razvoj sustava lokalne samouprave i tijek decentralizacijskih reformi u RH. U drugom dijelu autorice analiziraju službene podatke na temelju kojih izvode kalkulaciju broja i kategorije zaposlenih u JLPRS u razdoblju od 1995. do 2013. te ispituju je li porast zaposlenosti u korelaciji s procesom decentralizacije. Nadalje, analizom službeničkog zakonodavstva, službe-ničkog sustava i programa stručnog usavršavanja ispituju je li došlo do jačanja kapaciteta u kvalitativnom smislu. Zaključuju da je porast zaposlenosti jednim dijelom uzrokovan decentralizacijskim procesom, osobito u županijama, ali da taj proces nije imao značajnijeg utjecaja na jačanje personalnih kapaciteta u smislu jačanja profesionalizacije i izgradnje modernog službeničkog sustava.The paper examines the impact of the decentralisation process on strengthening personnel capacity in Croatian local and regional self-government units (LRSU). In the first part of the paper, the authors outline the basic characteristics of the decentralisation process in post-socialist countries, also present in Croatia. This is followed by a description of how the local self-government system developed in Croatia and the course decentralisation reforms took. In the second part of the paper, the authors analyse the number of LRSU employees in in 1995-2013, and explain local civil service legislation, professional training programs, and the real state of the local civil service system. The purpose is to determine if there is a correlation between decentralisation and strengthening of personnel capacity. It is concluded that the decentralisation process has affected personnel capacity in quantitative terms, bringing about a large increase in the number of employees in the counties. In municipalities and cities the influence of other factors can be seen, apart from the decentralisation process. However, decentralisation has not had a major impact on the qualitative indicators of personnel capacity – strengthening the professionalisation and development of a modern civil service system. Such “hesitant” decentralisation is characteristic of many post-socialist countries and is caused by a series of institutional, financial, cultural, and political factors