Modernization of Administration ond Archival Service in the Republic of Croatia

Polazeći od modernizacije uprave u 18. st., što je tražilo i modernizaciju uredskoga poslovanja, u članku se iznose teorijske i praktičke pretpostavke za modernizaciju suvremenoga records management. Podrobno se analizira postojeće stanje upravljanja dokumentima u Hrvatskoj i daju prijedlozi za poboljšanje upravljanja dokumentima, posebno u elektroničkome okruženju. Osobit naglasak stavljen je na izradu nove uredbe o uredskome poslovanju usklađene s međunarodnim normama, na izradu novoga klasifikacijskoga/razredbenoga nacrta te na školovanje djelatnika za rad u pisarnicama i pismohranama. U radu se predlaže i stvaranje jedinstvenoga upravnoga tijela, izravno podređenog Vladi, koje bi usklađivalo i normiralo cijeli proces od stvaranja dokumenta do njegova korištenja u istraživačke svrhe. Bez uvođenja modernoga records management prilagođenog elektroničkom okruženju nije moguća ni modernizacija uprave koja će biti djelotvorna,transparentna i demokratična.Starting from the historical reminiscences of the modernization of administration at the end of the 18 century, accompanied by the introduction of the new system of office work, the paper deals with the theoretical foundations of the connection between administration and archival service. A record should be observed in its continuos duration from its concept and creation to its utilisation in various investigations and, therefore, archival service and administration meet through records in each process of work. This connection is particularly evident in the information environment as well as in the requirements of contemporary society for efficient, transparent and democratic administration, which is impossible to achieve without effective records management or office work. The traditional values of records management, contained in heavy bureaucracies of the 19th century, have been set aside on our territory due to ‘‘tentative legal solutions”. The author analyses the present-day situation of records management in Croatia: jurisdiction over office work, positive legislation and professional education and position of archivists. On the basis of the analysis of the existing situation, a new structure of the whole system of records management is proposed in the paper, based on the model of Contemporary tendencies according to which this activity is directly within the jurisdiction of the Government, since it incorporates all the departments of state administration. Furthermore, urgent harmonisation of legislation is proposed, as well as preparation of the new Regulation on Office Work or the Regulation on Records Management in compliance with the new international standard ISO 15489 and in accordance with the new electronic environment, which is a necessary presumption for electronic government drafted in the strategic development of the Republic of Croatia for the 21st century. Finally, it is proposed to make a new classification draft which will correspond to the functions of the creators of records. Such legislation must be accompanied by adequate education of archivists and their permanent professional training