Challenges of Administrative Reforms in Southern and Eastern Europe in the Era of Digitalization: A Comparative Study of Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Serbia

The process of digitalization of public administration represents one of the most important institutional transformations in contemporary Europe. However, the countries of Southern and Eastern Europe face specific challenges in implementing the administrative reforms necessary for the development of digital governance. Differences in institutional capacity, level of economic development, administrative culture and degree of European integration significantly influence the pace and efficiency of these reforms. The paper presents the results of the comparative analysis of the administrative reform and digitalization processes in Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, Croatia and Serbia, highlighting the main institutional, technological and political challenges encountered in the process of modernizing public administration. The study uses a comparative methodology based on the analysis of strategic documents, European reports and indicators on digital governance. The results highlight the fact that, although digitalization is recognized as a strategic priority in all the countries analyzed, the implementation of administrative reforms remains influenced by factors such as institutional fragmentation, limited administrative capacity and the variable level of inter-institutional cooperation. The article contributes to understanding the dynamics of administrative reforms in Southern and Eastern Europe and highlights the importance of strengthening institutional capacity for the success of the digital transformation of public administration.