Milena Lazarevic

Public Administration Reform and European Integration Processes: on the Same or Parallel Tracks? Comparative Study of Serbia and Montenegro Milena Lazarevic

Establishing strong links between public administration reform and European integration processes is of great importance if an aspiring EU member state is to prepare its administration well for the challenges of EU membership. The focus of this book is an analysis of the relationship between these two processes on strategic as well as institutional levels in Serbia and Montenegro in 2005, with a view to determine how well these states will be able to transform themselves into future successful EU candidate and member states. In addition to pointing out the strategic and institutional challenges to achieving this objective, the book also sheds light on possible obstacles stemming from legalistic administrative tradition and culture. It also offers a set of recommendations for establishing functional linkages between public administration reform and European integration, with the objective of enabling the two states to not only successfully accomplish EU membership, but also reap its potential benefits once they join the Union.