Mjesni odbor: predstavnik građana ili lokalnih političkih elita ; TERRITORIAL COMMITTEE: REPRESENTING CITIZENS OR LOCAL POLITICAL ELITES?
Polazeći od razlikovanja normativne i stvarne slike mjesne samouprave, najprije se analiziraju elementi lokalne zajednice, kao realnog supstrata mjesne i lokalne samouprave. Autor nalazi trinaest potrebnih karakteristika mjesnih odbora kao realnih društvenih zajednica. Uz normativnu regulaciju mjesne samouprave detaljnije se analiziraju različiti praktični elementi organizacije, funkcioniranja i financiranja mjesne samouprave u Hrvatskoj. Zaključuje se da pozicija i praksa mjesne samouprave nisu optimalne s gledišta demokratskih standarda, javnog upravljanja i pružanja javnih usluga građanima na njima najbližoj razini teritorijalne samouprave. ; Beginning with the difference between normative and real situation in local selfgovernment below municipal level in Croatia, the author analyses the elements of local community as a real substrate of both self-government below municipal level and local self-government. He has found thirteen necessary characteristics of territorial committees as real social communities. Along with normative regulation of self-government below municipal level, he has performed a more detailed analysis of different practical elements, such as organisation, functioning, and financing of self-government below municipal level in Croatia. It is concluded that the position and practice of this type of self-government is not optimal regarding democratic standards, public management, and the provision of public services to citizens at the level of territorial self-government closest to them.