CORRUPTION IN PUBLIC PROCUREMENT: DO WE NEED A NEW RESEARCH MODEL FOR CROATIA?

The paper examines corruption risks in public procurement in Croatia. The study was motivated by the dilemma of how EU membership contributed to fighting corruption in public procurement in Croatia since the anti-corruption momentum after joining the EU was lost, while there is a growing interest in public procurement in the context of economic imbalances and the new EU regulations on public procurement. The objective of the analysis is to establish a new research framework to assess corruption in public procurement in Croatia. A review of relevant literature and existing research indicate that their focus does not match the particularities of public procurement in Croatia. In the paper we argue that an effective suppression of specific corruption risks in Croatia is not guaranteed by the principles of public procurement and EU regulations. The misuse in the system of public procurement will not be eliminated by formal regulations in favour of the most economically advantageous offer, centralized procurement, and e-procurement. In conclusion, findings confirm the need for a new model of research of corruption in public procurement, which would take into account the specifics of implementation in Croatian context. The paper offers policy recommendations and provides lines for future research.