The Land Governance Assessment Framework (LGAF) is a diagnostic tool to assess the status of land governance at country level using a participatory process that draws systematically on existing evidence and local expertise rather than on outsiders. The analysis covers nine themes: land tenure recognition; rights to forest and common lands and rural land use regulations; urban land use, planning, and development; public land management; process for transfer of public land to private use; public provision of land information (land administration and information systems); land valuation and taxation; dispute resolution and review of institutional arrangements and policies. The assessment follows a scorecard approach and produces a matrix of policy priorities matrix. The LGAF process helps to establish a consensus on (i) gaps in existing evidence; (ii) areas for regulatory or institutional change, piloting of new approaches, and interventions to improve land governance on a broader scale (e.g. by strengthening land rights and improving their enforcement); and (iii) criteria to assess the effectiveness of these measures. This report presents the result for Republic of Croatia.

Increased global demand for land posits the need for well-designed country-level land policies to protect long-held rights, facilitate land access and address any constraints that land policy may pose for broader growth. While the implementation of land reforms can be a lengthy process, the need to swiftly identify key land policy challenges and devise responses that allow the monitoring of progress, in a way that minimizes conflicts and supports broader development goals, is clear. The Land Governance Assessment Framework (LGAF) makes a substantive contribution to the land sector by providing a quick and innovative tool to monitor land governance at the country level. The LGAF offers a comprehensive diagnostic tool that covers five main areas for policy intervention: Legal and institutional framework; Land use planning, management and taxation; Management of public land; Public provision of land information; and Dispute resolution and conflict management. The LGAF assesses these areas through a set of detailed indicators that are rated on a scale of pre-coded statements (from lack of good governance to good practice). While land governance can be highly technical in nature and tends to be addressed in a partial and sporadic manner, the LGAF posits a tool for a comprehensive assessment, taking into account the broad range of issues that land governance encompasses, while enabling those unfamiliar with land to grasp its full complexity. The LGAF will make it possible for policymakers to make sense of the technical levels of the land sector, benchmark governance, identify areas that require further attention and monitor progress. It is intended to assist countries in prioritizing reforms in the land sector by providing a holistic diagnostic review that can inform policy dialogue in a clear and targeted manner. In addition to presenting the LGAF tool, this book includes detailed case studies on its implementation in five selected countries: Peru, the Kyrgyz Republic, Ethiopia, Indonesia and Tanzania.

The Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Issues in Expropriation reviews the contemporary major issues involving expropriation (eminent domain/compulsory purchase) in an international context. Expropriation is a right reserved to all governments, and, thus, it has an impact on all societies. This book, the first of its kind, considers the essential issues from the point of view of both developing and developed countries, and their needs for major infrastructure projects. The content covers major issues, principles and policies and includes the experiences of and examples from different countries and regions, including Australia, Asia, China, Europe, India and the USA. Rather than providing an in-depth examination of individual countries’ legal systems, the book focuses on international issues, and also provides a reflection on how national experiences can be related to global needs. Key themes include: Nature and quantum of compensation • Land rights and the acquisition of traditional land rights • Issues surrounding ‘public interest’ •Alternatives to expropriation •The future: “good practice”, debate and reform. This handbook is an essential resource for students and researchers in the areas of land policy, land law, property law and rights, and international development.

Croatia is the newest euro area (EA) member. Following a very strong recovery in 2021–22, growth moderated to 3.1 percent in 2023, still among the highest in the EA. Inflation has decelerated considerably since early 2023 but remains above the EA average, while the labor market remains tight. Growth is expected to stay robust in 2024–25, led by strengthening household real incomes and investment supported by EU funds. Inflation is expected to gradually approach 2 percent in late 2025. Risks to the outlook are broadly balanced. Subdued productivity and labor shortages are the main obstacles to potential growth.

Croatia has made remarkable progress since independence, but daunting challenges impede the reforms required for sustainable development. In the space of a couple of decades since independence and its subsequent destructive war, Croatia has established a liberal democracy and a market economy, and achieved upper-middle income country. EU accession played a key role in these accomplishments by supporting legislative improvements, strengthening institutions and increasing the availability of funds. Nevertheless, implementation of the reform program continues to face significant obstacles. Capture of public institutions by powerful interest groups has limited the effectiveness of reforms. And frequent changes in government, each accompanied by changes in technical staff in public administration, have reduced momentum for reform and the consistency of government policies over time. This Systematic Country Diagnostic (SCD) provides an assessment of where Croatia stands in terms of poverty reduction and shared prosperity (namely the twin goals), and how it could maximize progress towards these goals. The SCD's purpose is not to assess the Government's development plans but rather to articulate an independent identification of, and rationale for, priorities for achieving the twin goals. The analysis is meant to inform subsequent engagement between Croatia and the World Bank Group on the Country Partnership Framework. The document is structured as follows: chapter two presents key determinants and constraints of growth; chapter three presents determinants and constraints for enhancing inclusion; chapter four discusses financial, social and environmental sustainability, and identifies key sustainability-related constraints on achieving the twin goals over the longer term; and chapter five presents the priorities for reform and concludes.

This 2002 Article IV Consultation highlights that Croatia experienced solid growth in the last two years, with growth rates of about 4 percent exceeding those of the euro area and of many other transition countries. The recovery, initially propelled by private consumption and exports, has more recently extended to investment, encouraged by easy access to credit and public infrastructure spending. After decelerating at the end of 2001 in the wake of the slowdown in Europe, growth resumed strongly in the first quarter of 2002 supported by domestic demand. The outlook for 2002 is moderately positive.

A Fiduciary System Assessment (FSA) was carried out in accordance with OP/BP 9.0 that evaluated the fiduciary systems pertaining to the Health System Quality and Efficiency Improvement Program for Results. The integrated fiduciary assessment comprised separate assessments of the fiduciary risks relating to the programs: (i) procurement; (ii) financial management; and iii) governance. The objective of the assessment was to provide reference that could be used to monitor fiduciary system performance during the implementation of the above referenced operation, as well as to identify actions, as relevant, to enhance the performance of the systems. Findings from the assessment, as well as a review of existing analytical and diagnostic work , conclude that the overall fiduciary and governance framework is adequate to support the implementation of Croatia's Health System Quality and Efficiency Improvement Program for Results and includes summary table of the key risks and the corresponding mitigation actions identified. This report is organized along the following lines: presentation of institutional arrangements and national framework; review and assessment of Program fiduciary systems and, including a discussion of baseline performance measurement and indicators, as well as fiduciary risk. While governance and anti-corruption issues are featured prominently throughout the various national systems, institutions, and functions, the report presents these issues in a separate section. Finally, the report includes inputs to the implementation support plan as well as a number of supporting annexes.