Organization of a series of events “Together for a Better EU – Let’s Talk”

Organization of three public forums in two Croatian cities (two in Zagreb and one in Split). Each forum would cover a specific topic:

1. The influence of EU membership on the governing institutions and democratic processes;
2. Application of the EU standards – rule of law and public administration reforms;
3. The impact of EU funding on socioeconomic development and the practice of public policy in Croatia.

In the first event, the emphasis will be on how EU membership affected the functioning of Croatian government and its parliament i.e. how it influenced the patterns of cooperation between the main political actors. The event will discuss the patterns of adaptation of the key national institutions to the requirements coming from the EU level? What trends can be observed and what does the comparison with the EU coordination mechanisms in other member states reveal? Additionally. the event will address the possible paths for the future of the EU in the light of the upcoming European Parliament elections and the effects that could be expected on the member states, and especially on Croatia. The second event will focus on the impact of EU membership on the functioning of judiciary and public administration in Croatia. Invited panellists will analyse key drivers and major achievements since the EU membership particularly with respect to the efficiency and quality of judicial work in the context of the EU

membership and the lack of public trust in the judiciary. In the ambit of public administration, the event will address instructional and administrative capacities for implementation of the much-needed reforms. Questions about the key institutional bottlenecks and the need for policy adaptations will also be raised and discussed. The third event will focus on EU-funded investment programs in Croatia, such as cohesion policy programs and the Instrument for Resilience and Recovery, and a series of developmental and political changes caused by these programs. What are the long-term effects of EU funding on Croatia’s competitiveness and resilience and how does EU funding change the practice of politics in Croatia are the two leading questions for the event. Each event would consist of two separate panels inviting stakeholders from different interest groups, including representatives of public institutions, academic experts, non-governmental organizations, the business community and others to discuss the most relevant issues at stake. Each event would be moderated by a renowned journalist who would follow economic/political/legal developments in Croatia. The main target groups are members of the academic community, especially students, non-governmental organizations, civil servants and the business community.