Public value as a driving force for public administration reform in the Balkans

Developing professional and accountable administrative systems in the newly emerged Balkan countries is not an easy mission. Like in other post-communist states, there is an urgent need to support weakened public institutions to break with former governance practices and resume their basic role as embodiments of law and democracy. The European Administrative Space principles are discussed in this paper as a starting point for an administrative makeover in the Balkan states. Public value management criteria combining efficiency and democratic imperatives for public administration's running are presented as potential drivers for institutional change in the region. Human resource management and collaboration with civil society stakeholders are critical factors in designing a high-quality public sector. Furthermore, information technology tools may also greatly contribute towards more openness and transparency in public administration if used to enhance administrations' dialogue with society.