Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS), and the University Association for Contemporary European Studies (UACES) and again the EPRC, have generously provided financial support to different parts of the project. The Faculty of Economics Split hosted me in May-June 2009. An excellent professional and a very hospitable person, Professor Maja Fredotović, assisted immensely with accommodation and navigation in the Dalmatian capital. The Dean of the

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... Faculty, Professor Branko Grčić, as well as the academic, research and administrative staff, deserve my deep feelings of gratitude. In addition, Professor Jasminka Šohinger at the Faculty of Economics in Zagreb kindly delegated to her brilliant PhD students the task of offering me guidance in the Croatian capital. Officials at the (then) Croatian Central State Office for Development Strategy and Coordination of EU Funds (CODEF) and the European Commission Delegation were also very helpful. The Institute for International Relations (IMO) and the Institute of Economics Zagreb (EIZ) with their extremely knowledgeable senior researchers proved true beacons of academic information. I was delighted by the atmosphere and the reception by senior and junior respondents alike, even in the largest and busiest Croatian ministries including the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Regional Development. Both Croatian and European consultants have shared valuable insights on institutional developments. Lastly, I want to thank my directors during my stay in Greece in 2011. Close friends, fellow PhD researchers and old classmates have also helped out in sourcing information. A special credit goes to my family.