Applying the Principles of Good Governance to the Regulation of Public Procurement with Special Reference to Croatia

Abstract

Considering the complexity of the tasks performed by public administration, the administrative doctrines represent a very dynamic area of contemporary development of public administration. What distinguishes administrative doctrines from each other are the values implemented in each doctrine depending on the economic, political, social, and other circumstances, and these circumstances impose certain values as priorities. From the doctrine of new public administration, which emphasized political and social values as a strategic goal, an important turning point was reached with the introduction of the new public management, which aims to modernize the public sector by introducing the market and competition to involve the private sector in the provision of services. The doctrine of good governance represents a variation of the approach mentioned above. The European Commission insists on the implementation of the principles of good governance in the Member States, emphasizing the need for governance based on sustainable development and inclusion of social and environmental components in many areas of activity. The authors attempt to answer the question of whether and in what way the principles of good governance are applied to public procurement procedures in Croatia, focusing on social and environmental objectives. Public procurement procedures are an essential part of the state’s economic activity, so in this way, the state can influence market conditions and achieve sustainable (secondary) goals that go beyond the search for the most economically advantageous offer. In the research, the authors hypothesise that public tenders in Croatia do not usually include secondary selection criteria. The aim of the work is to determine whether the national normative framework for public procurement is suitable for sustainable goals and to offer a solution for its improvement. The research is conducted using the comparative method and the method of legal analysis.