Özet:

The paper deals with a comparative analysis of the local self-government systems in the countries of the former Yugoslavia, with a special emphasis on the institution of directly elected mayors. The discussion on directly elected representatives of the executive branch of government at the local level has become one of the most important topics within the broader discussion on democratisation and increasing the effectiveness of local self-government institutions in the countries of the region. The basic premise in the paper is that some common features in the development of the local self-government system are operating in this area, connected with the dominant type of political culture and relatively long tradition of self-management. These features, together with problems in the implementation of direct elections, might, according to the author, largely limit the expected positive effects of directly elected mayors, without regard to the fact that the introduction of the direct election of mayors finds a high support among the political élite and public. The author further points to the problems in shaping the institution of directly elected mayors, using empirical research on the attitudes of local officials from the countries of the region to fundamental political priorities.

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