Jelena Gurdulic

Transformation of Democracy in Croatia: Europeanization Jelena Gurdulic

Europeanization suggests the progress of transformation, whose outcome does not only imply the political democratisation and implementation of market economy, but moreover it offers the EU membership as an outcome. Transformation in Croatia was not an easy one, nor the most rapid one, but it was certainly very interesting as it did not follow the classical transitional processes of post communist countries. However, it came to the last phase and today it is successfully consolidating democracy. This study explores the transformation process of Croatia through three different phases: pre-transition, transition and consolidation phase. The research is concentrating mainly on the evolution of democratisation process and on the external influences that had impact on the consolidation of democracy. It assumes that democratic consolidation in Croatia is not completely natural; it is a product of political engagement to satisfy the demands of the EU for the accession. In that context, the question of the EU - Croatian partnership will be evoked, as during the research one could not help but realise that no one wants to be governed by the ?puppet government?.