Професионализација јавне управе у Босни и Херцеговини - мит или (реална) опција
Professionalization of Public Administration in Bosnia and Herzegovina - a myth or (real) option

Author(s): Jelena Starčević
Subject(s): Law, Constitution, Jurisprudence, Public Administration
Published by: Правни факултет Универзитета у Источном Сарајеву
Keywords: Professionalization; Public administration; Expertise; Civil servants; Education; Reform;
Summary/Abstract: The term "professionalization" of public administration primarily means a professional, educated civil servants with clearly defined roles, duties and lines of responsibility work. It also implies transparent work processes and adequate legal protection of citizens. Although this concept is almost as old as the concept of public administration itself, and was introduced several decades ago as one of the leading tendencies by one of the founders of Public Administration Science - Eugen Pusić, it still represents a challenge and seems, more than ever, an unattainable ideal not only for Bosnia and Herzegovina but also for other countries of the Western Balkans, such as Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Albania. The European Commission set public administration reform in early 2000s as a condition for countries in the process of joining the European Union, which was supposed to compel the authorities in BiH to commence reform aand professionalization of this area. Twenty years later, however, the reform is still in its early stages of implementation. In all EU reports on B&H's progress in the field of public administration reform, it is evident that it is lagging behind and does not seems to be the lack of will of decision-makers to put this area at the top of the political agenda and, secondly-too much dependence on politics and political processes. Since the public administration is still the biggest employer of working-age population in BiH and the private sector is still insufficiently strong and underdeveloped to enforce its standards on the labor market, separating public administration from politics and providing impartial and transparent recruitment processes according to the criteria of expertise and competence has become almost impossible. Therefore, the expert public is now facing the inevitable question: is it possible to professionalize public administration in Bosnia and Herzegovina despite all the disadvantages of the socio-political context? Or is this possible to do so at least to a level that meets the criteria of the European Administrative Area? Or will it remain just an unattainable myth and tendency? In the latter case, the consequences for the whole society would be the failure to accede to the European Union, continual migration of young and qualified people from the country, the slowness of the administrative processes that repel potential foreign investors, and thus, slow development of whole real sector and many other negative consequences. This paper explores the concept and elements of professionalization, its prerequisites, processes and conditions that make professionalization difficult or impossible to attain. It also puts foreword recommendations for improving the situation in this area.

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