This diploma thesis presents a comparative analysis of the absorption and impact of cohesion funds in Slovenia and Poland during the 2014–2020 programming period. The starting point is the finding that high fund absorption alone does not guarantee developmental efficiency, prompting an examination of how institutional arrangements and development priorities shape the actual developmental effects of cohesion policy in both countries.
To explore this, the research is based on a qualitative approach employing the comparative method, complemented by descriptive and analytical methods. The analysis draws on secondary sources – official European Commission documents, national operational programmes and implementation reports – on the basis of which both countries are compared using uniform indicators: institutional arrangements, absorption rates, thematic allocation of funds, and achieved effects.
Building on this comparison, the findings show that both countries achieved above-average absorption performance, though for different reasons, confirming that absorption alone is not a reliable indicator of developmental efficiency. The institutional model itself likewise proved not to be a decisive success factor; rather, the quality of fund use was more important, while regional disparities remained unresolved in both countries despite substantial investment.
These findings offer practical guidance for cohesion policy makers, highlighting that performance assessment should be based on developmental effects rather than absorption rates alone. As the lessons from Slovenia and Poland are mutually transferable, they may also benefit other member states in planning the 2021–2027 programming period and shaping the future of EU cohesion policy.
|
