The third sector in croatia: impact on social service provision

Changing Policy Environments in Europe and the Resilience of the Third Sector

“…During the same period, the third sector in Croatia also experienced notable legislative changes, notably the 2014 Law on Associations and the 2015 Law on the Financial Operation and Bookkeeping of Non-Profit Organizations (Bežovan et al, 2016). The former introduced an obligation for all associations to re-register, while the latter introduced more demanding procedures for tenders, financing and bookkeeping.…”

“…The former introduced an obligation for all associations to re-register, while the latter introduced more demanding procedures for tenders, financing and bookkeeping. Both were established with the stated aim of increasing the sector's transparency and strengthening financial control, although experts have criticised them as too restrictive and endangering the viability of smaller, especially newly established, grassroots associations (Bežovan et al, 2016). For instance, a TSO now needs to maintain double-entry bookkeeping for the first three years after establishment, which limits its activities.…”

“…For instance, a TSO now needs to maintain double-entry bookkeeping for the first three years after establishment, which limits its activities. Such overregulation, as representatives of the third sector perceive it, is an unfavourable environment for strengthening social entrepreneurship and social innovation (Bežovan et al, 2016). At the same time, these new trends can constitute a risk for more traditional or smaller TSOs which lack the capacity to adjust and adapt.…”

“…In Poland, the responses to the online survey show that TSO representatives share a widespread desire for more public assistance, combined with a lack of satisfaction with legal regulations and relations with public bodies (Le et al, 2016). Likewise, in Croatia, the lack of public funding was seen as a significant problem for third sector development (Bežovan et al, 2016).…”

The Implicit Normative Assumptions of Social Innovation Research: Embracing the Dark Side

“…Public strategies or social marketing were consequently not on the agenda due to political conflicts, including an unstable political situation, resignation of a mayor and local elections. Another example of political conflicts disabling social innovations was found in the city of Varaždin (Bezovan et al 2013).…”