How We Came to Be?
Centre for Democracy and Law Miko Tripalo was established on 2 July 2003 in Zagreb, by prominent Croatian scientists, members of the academic community and public figures. The Centre was founded as a nonprofit, nonpartisan and nongovernmental organization and was named after Miko Tripalo, one of the most prominent and continuously respected people in Croatian public life in the past five decades. Miko Tripalo was a politician, activist, reformer, dissident, journalist, author and lifelong supporter of the development of pluralistic and socially-just institutions. He firmly believed in the idea of Croatia as a modern, fair, democratic state and an equal member of the European community of nations. The founders of Centre Miko Tripalo considered the life and work of Miko Tripalo to be the embodiment of the ideals of democracy, freedom, equality and responsible participation in government, as well as the expression of their own values and vision of the future of Croatia.
What do we want to achieve?
The Miko Tripalo Centre was founded for the purpose of promoting democratic ideas and values in Croatia, achieving the rule of law and encouraging the Europeanization of Croatian society and politics. The goal of Centre and its members is to encourage dialogue, raise awareness, and propose and encourage changes on important issues, primarily in the area of the political and legal system, but also the welfare state.
In its work, the Miko Tripalo Centre strives to integrate academic and applied research methods and dialogue in a public environment with the aim of achieving high-quality, consensus-based public policy solutions and encouraging reforms in the interest of Croatia’s democratic future as a full member of the European Community of Nations and a significant factor in the region.
The Centre’s work is aimed not only at proposing specific reform proposals, but also at encouraging reforms in the process of making public policies in Croatia, so that it becomes more efficient, transparent, subject to control and more participatory. The backbone of the Centre’s efforts are offering platforms based on the results of public policy research, stimulating discussion and dialogue on the processes of adopting public policies, and encouraging the permanent role of non-governmental participants in those processes.
What areas do we deal with?
The activities of the Miko Tripalo Centre are focused on several main areas within the framework of promoting democratic ideas and values in Croatia through strengthening the rule of law and creating a healthy and democratic political system:
Law and political system (rule of law, reform of the judicial system, reform of electoral legislation and issues of systemic corruption in society; good governance and the role of various social factors in participatory, transparent and accountable public policies).
Socio-economic topics (social inclusion and fairness, issues of labor, employment and social (inequality) issues, pension system).
Social issues (education, the role of the media in society, national identity, cultural development)
The Miko Tripalo Centre sees these areas as immediate, key and complex challenges on the path of Croatia’s political, economic and social development, as well as conditions that need to be met in order to join the EU. Successfully resolving these problems requires reaching consensus, constructive dialogue and offering knowledge-based solutions.
How do we work?
The Centre achieves its goals by:
- preparing proposals for improving legal regulations,
- collecting, processing and publishing examples from legal and political practice,
- taking a position and giving opinions on issues important for the development of democracy and European civilizational values in Croatia,
- organizing various forms of continuous professional and scientific training in the field of law and politics, preparing and holding professional and scientific conferences, seminars, forums,
- publishing books and other regular or occasional publications,
- developing, promoting and connecting the Association and its members with similar associations in the country and abroad,
- granting scholarships, grants and awards
