The Sociocultural and Economic Premises of Quality of Governance and Bureaucratic Efficiency in Central East European Regions in the Context of the EU

The aim of the paper is analysis of impact historically shaped sociocultural factors and economic resources on quality of governance and bureaucratic efficiency in Central East European regions. Eastern European economic heritage is of greater significance for social capital than affiliation to catholic – protestant, cultural circles. Impact of individualism on quality of governance is indirect. Individualism favours trust and self-organizing and next rivalry and pressure many interest groups stimulate quality of governance at national and regional level. In EU regions, as a whole, social capital is more important for quality of governance and bureaucratic efficiency than GDP. In CEE regions this part of the administration which supports the spending of EU funds works with greater efficiency than one can expect on the base of low economic resources and social capital.