![Sample our Politics & International Relations journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5947/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Politics-International-Relations.jpg"})
ABSTRACT
This article evaluates the influence of domestic political factors on the performance of Cohesion Policy (CP) in new member states. It argues that domestic levels of politicisation, within Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs) can mediate the outcome-driven performance of the policy. Empirically this is probed against original empirical evidence from two cases studies: Bulgaria and Romania. Evidence was found to suggest that politicisation can affect the management and implementation of EU funds delivery. More specifically, political patronage damaged managerial continuity and the development of expertise in the specialised institutions managing CP. In addition, political clientelism was associated with some of the problems found in the selection of EU funded projects and, more pre-eminently, with regard to the allocation of public procurement contracts. The article discusses the wider theoretical implications of its findings and the impact of politicisation on the implementation of EU policies in CEECs.
Acknowledgements
Foremost, I would like to thank Dimitris Papadimitriou and Dorina Baltag for their support and collegiality in the undertakings of this research project. Moreover, I am grateful to Adam Fagan and the anonymous reviewers’ of the journal for their critical comments, as well as to John Bachtler and Martin Ferry from the European Policies Research Centre (EPRC) at the University of Strathclyde, for discussions on CP. Earlier versions of this article were presented at the 2nd joint EU CP Conference (Riga – February 2015) and at a workshop dedicated to this Special Issue (University of Manchester – March 2015). I am solely responsible for any remaining errors.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
Notes on contributor
Neculai-Cristian Surubaru is a PhD candidate in Political Science and European Studies at Loughborough University. His main research focuses on administrative capacity, politicisation and governance processes in Central and Eastern Europe. He has been a Teaching Assistant at Loughborough University and a Guest Lecturer at the University of Edinburgh. He has been published or is forthcoming in Regional Studies, Routledge in the Regions and Cities, Regional Studies/Regional Science and the Romanian Journal of European Affairs. Apart from his academic work, he has contributed to several policy reports that informed policy-makers in Brussels and Bucharest.
Notes
1 The term Managing Institutions will refer from here on to Managing Authorities, Intermediate Bodies, Certifying Authority, Audit Authority, and other institutions involved in the EU funds management and control process at the national, regional, and local level.
2 Article 2(7) of Council Regulation 1083/2006 of 11 July 2006 laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 defines “irregularities” as
any infringement of a provision of Community law resulting from an act or omission by an economic operator, which has, or would have, the effect of prejudicing the general budget of the Communities by charging an unjustified item of expenditure to the Community Budget.
3 Article 1 of the Convention of 26 July 1995 on the protection of the European Communities financial interests generally defines fraud as:
any intentional act or omission relating to: (a) the use or presentation of false, incorrect or incomplete statements or documents, which has as its effect the misappropriation or wrongful retention of funds from the general budget of the European Communities or budgets managed by, or on behalf of, the European Communities; (b) non-disclosure of information in violation of a specific obligation, with the same effect; (c) the misapplication of such funds for purposes other than those for which they were originally granted.
4 A recent official guideline on financial corrections states that “financial corrections may be made by the Commission where expenditure is irregular and have not been corrected by the Member State”. It also states that
financial corrections may also be made where there is a serious deficiency in the management and control system which has put at risk the EU contribution already paid to a programme, or where a Member State has not investigated irregularities and made the corrections required. (EC Citation2016a, 4)
5 Interview with Permanent Representation Representative #1, 18 October 2013; Former Director of Bulgarian Managing Authority #2, 16 May 2014.
6 Bulgaria’s executives included: Stanishev (2005–2009), Borisov I (2009–2013), Oresharski (2013–2014), Borisov II–IV (2014–) and two interim governments (Raykov March–May 2013; Bliznashki August–November 2014). Romania’s executives included: Tăriceanu I (2004–2007), Tăriceanu II (2007–2008), Boc I (2008–2009), Boc II (2009–2012), Ungureanu (February–April 2012), Ponta I–V (May 2012–November 2015), Cioloş (2015–).
7 Bulgarian Expert #4, 22 May 2014; Former Director of Romanian Intermediate Body #1, 19 March 2014.
8 Romanian Expert #1, 18 March 2014.
9 Deputy Director of Bulgarian Managing Authority #2, 14 May 2014.
10 Former Director of Romanian Managing Authority #2, 15 April 2014.
11 Former Director of Romanian Managing Authority #1, 21 March 2014; Director in Romanian North-East Regional Development Agency, 17 April 2014.
12 Bulgarian Technical Assistance MA expert #2, 4 June 2014; Bulgarian Expert #2, 19 May 2014.
13 Former Director of Bulgarian Managing Authority #2, 16 May 2014.
14 IPP (Citation2012); Bulgarian Expert #2, 19 May 2014; Romanian Expert #1, 18 March 2014; Director of Bulgarian Managing Authority #1, 30 April 2014.
15 EC Head of Unit #2, 16 October 2013; EC Head of Sector #1, 16 October 2013.
16 EC Policy Officer #1, 15 October 2013; EC Policy Officer Administrative Capacity #1, 16 October 2013.
17 Bulgarian Civil Society Leader #, 21 May 2014; Bulgarian Civil Society Leader #3, 5 June 2014.
18 Novinite, 8 May 2014, available at: http://www.novinite.com/articles/160347/Chief+of+Cabinet+of+Bulgarian+PM+Charged+with+Assisting+EU+Funds+Fraud
19 Romania Civil Society Leader #1, 9 April 2014; Romanian Expert #2, 11 April 2014.
20 Former Romanian EU affairs Minister, 27 March 2014; Romanian Expert #2, 11 April 2014; Former Director of Romanian Managing Authority, 14 April 2014.
21 Romanian EU funds beneficiary #1, 19 March 2014; Former Director of Romanian Intermediate Body #1, 19 March; Head of Romanian North-East Intermediate Body, 19 March 2014, 17 April 2014.
22 Agerpres.ro, 5 May 2016, available at: http://www.agerpres.ro/economie/2016/05/05/romania-a-fost-nevoita-sa-plateasca-420-milioane-euro-reprezentand-corectii-financiare-aplicate-in-cadrul-posdru-21-30-15.
23 Romanian Cross-Border Cooperation Programme #2, 14 April 2014.
24 Bulgarian EU funds consultant #1, 29 April 2014; Former EC Head of Unit #1, 8 October 2014.
25 Former Director of Bulgarian Managing Authority #2, 16 May 2014.
26 Sofiaglobe.com, 17 November 2013, available at: http://sofiaglobe.com/2013/11/17/ec-suspends-funding-for-bulgarias-environment-operational-programme-reports/.
27 Hotnews.ro, 15 December 2014, available at: http://economie.hotnews.ro/stiri-eurofonduri-18838907-surse-perchezitii-diicot-ministerul-fondurilor-europene.htm.
28 Former Director of Romanian Managing Authority #2, 21 March 2014.
29 European Commission – Interruption of Payment Letter, 23 December 2014, Available at: https://www.scribd.com/document/258704513/Intrerupere-POSCCE.
30 Cursdeguvernare.ro, 13 January 2015, available at: http://cursdeguvernare.ro/comisia-europeana-a-intrerupt-platile-pe-o-axa-a-programului-de-competitivitate-din-cauza-unor-probleme-cu-achizitiile-publice.html.
31 The problems found in public procurement are extensively discussed in Audit Authority and the Annual Implementation Reports of the different Operational Programmes in both countries and were frequently pointed out by officials and civil society representatives during interviews.
32 Bulgarian Investigative Journalist, 18 May 2014; Former EC Head of Unit #1, 8 October 2014.
33 Director in Romanian Ministry of European Funds #1, 21 March 2014; Former Director of Bulgarian Managing Authority #2, 16 May 2014.
34 OLAF representative #2, 9 October 2014.