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EJPAR - Issue 7​


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DOI DOI: 10.47743/ejpar.2026-7-1
Author Bogdan Florin Filip
Abstract
The latest years of the current century have brought to attention increasingly acute issues regarding the climate change caused by the economic activities and its disastrous impacts all over the world and raised therefore motivated concerns regarding the measures to be taken in order to mitigate them. Since one of the most important determinants of the climate change is represented by the carbon emissions this paper proposes an analysis on the way in which there can be reduced such emissions, focusing on the case of the European Union case. The paper analyses the effects of the fiscal policy, regarding both environmental taxes and government expenditures, but also of the use of the renewable energy on the level of the carbon emissions per capita, during 2010-2020 in EU. The results prove that the extensive use of the renewable energy, especially, but also fiscal policy instruments can mitigate the problem of the carbon emissions and help reducing the climate change
Keywords
carbon emissions; renewable energy; environmental taxes; taxes on pollution; government environmental expenses; GDP growth
JEL Codes  C33; E62; F64; O13; Q58.​

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​Title
DOIDOI: 10.47743/ejpar.2026-7-2​
AuthorElena Cigu, Doru-Constantin Mocanu
AbstractThis study examines the relationship between collaborative governance and administrative capacity in implementing EU-funded urban development projects in Romania. It compares six municipalities - Oradea, Cluj-Napoca, Timișoara, Craiova, Baia Mare, and Galați - selected because each is confirmed, by direct extraction from the European Commission's Kohesio database, to be the beneficiary of a substantial, multi-project Cohesion Policy portfolio in its own right. The analysis prioritises direct, official sources (Kohesio, Regulations on Organisation and Functioning, Council decisions and mayoral dispositions, census data) over indirect ones (press coverage, reported statements), and states explicitly, source by source, which tier each claim rests on. Two composite, exploratory indices - a Collaborative Governance Index (CGI) and an Administrative Capacity Index (ACI) - are constructed from qualitative evidence, while a Fund Absorption Rate (FAR) is calculated directly from Kohesio's EU-contribution-per-capita figures for all six cities on a single consistent basis. The findings show that richer collaborative-governance ecosystems and more developed administrative infrastructure generally coincide with stronger EU fund mobilisation, but the relationship is not linear: the city with the richest collaborative ecosystem ranks only second-lowest on per-capita fund mobilisation, while a low-ranking city on governance ranks second on FAR. Set against a literature that studies administrative capacity mainly at national or regional level, the article's main contribution is empirical and methodological rather than theoretical: a transparently sourced, city-level test of how collaborative governance and administrative capacity relate to EU fund mobilisation in a Central and Eastern European member state, illustrating a source-hierarchy approach that later, larger comparative work could extend beyond Romania.
Keywordscollaborative governance; urban development; EU funds; network governance; administrative capacity
JEL CodesH70, H83, O18, R58, F55​

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DOIDOI: 10.47743/ejpar.2026-7-3
AuthorRuxandra Ciulu
AbstractCompensation and benefits have become a strategic lever for competitiveness in the European labour market, particularly in knowledge-intensive sectors such as information technology. Building on a previous study of how Romanian IT firms built and consolidated competitive advantage after the Covid-19 pandemic, this paper examines benefits tendencies on three levels: global, national (Romania), and within the Romanian IT industry specifically. The research is anchored in the current reality: Romania’s IT sector is adjusting to the gradual withdrawal of long-standing income-tax exemptions, persistent wage pressure, the normalisation of remote and hybrid work, and a growing emphasis on non￾monetary rewards and employee wellbeing. The study relies exclusively on secondary data, drawing on recurrent labour-market and reward reports published between 2023 and 2026 at global level (by Aon, Korn Ferry, Mercer, Randstad, Pacific Prime), national level in 
Romania (by Hays, Randstad, PwC, SD Worx), and on the annual IT Salary Map survey (by AIMS) for the Romanian IT sector. Using a qualitative, descriptive approach and emerging tendencies across these sources, the paper maps how the structure of benefits is shifting toward flexible benefits, wellbeing support and work-arrangement flexibility. Findings are intended to help employers, policymakers and HR practitioners understand benefit dynamics in a fragmented European economy, and to position the Romanian IT sector within wider national and global trends in attracting and retaining talent​
Keywordsbenefits; Romanian IT industry; labour market trends; talent retention
JEL CodesM52; J32; M51; M54; J24​

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​Title
DOIDOI: 10.47743/ejpar.2026-7-4
AuthorRăzvan-Ionuț Croitoru
Abstract
This study examines the gap between the formal institutionalisation of integrity mechanisms and their effective functioning in Romanian local public administration, together with human resource management and development practices and perceived administrative capacity constraints. Using a quantitative, observational and cross￾sectional survey of 973 administrative-territorial units from 41 counties, the analysis distinguishes between the formal presence of integrity mechanisms and their implementation in organisational practice. The findings show that formal institutionalisation is widespread, while effective implementation is less consistent, particularly in the case of the ethics adviser. In the multivariate analysis, the effective application of internal procedures and the consideration of integrity in professional promotion are positively associated with perceived institutional integrity, whereas staff and administrative resource constraints are negatively associated with it. These associations remain broadly stable after controlling for institutional size. The study contributes by showing that formal integrity arrangements and their actual functioning should be analysed separately and in relation to HRM practices and implementation capacity. Administrative resilience is used as a theoretical lens for interpreting these relationships, rather than as an outcome measured directly.
Keywordsinstitutional integrity; human resource management; local public administration; administrative capacity; administrative resilience
JEL CodesH83; D73; J24; O15​

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DOIDOI: 10.47743/ejpar.2026-7-5
AuthorNatalia Gavrilenco
Abstract
This article examines the tension between judicial independence and accountability mechanisms in the context of justice reform in the Republic of Moldova. Starting from the judge’s essential role in safeguarding the rule of law, the study analyses how institutional restructuring, external evaluation, disciplinary liability, public scrutiny and material guarantees may either strengthen or weaken effective judicial independence. Particular attention is paid to pre-vetting and vetting procedures, the reform of the Supreme Court of Justice and the reconfiguration of judicial self-government bodies. Using doctrinal, comparative and document-based methods, the article assesses national legislation against United Nations, Council of Europe and European Court of Human Rights standards, while drawing lessons from the Albanian vetting experience. The central argument is that justice reform cannot be reduced to control, verification or sanctioning. Its democratic legitimacy depends on a sustainable balance between integrity, professional competence, accountability, institutional stability and protection against improper influence. External evaluation may be justified in exceptional circumstances, but it must remain predictable, proportionate, evidence-based and subject to effective review. The article concludes that tomorrow’s democracy depends not only on the quality of legal rules and institutional design, but also on the ability of today’s judge to decide independently, responsibly and in accordance with the values of the rule of law.
Keywordsjudicial independence; justice reform; rule of law; democracy; Republic of Moldova; judge
JEL CodesK40; K38​

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​Title
DOI​DOI: 10.47743/ejpar.2026-7-6
AuthorEfstathia Ioannou, Theodore Tsekeris
Abstract
Despite Greece’s important progress in digital governance significant challenges remain in the fields of digital governance, cybersecurity, and digital sovereignty. Institutional adaptation often lags behind technological change, while digital transformation progresses more slowly at peripheral areas. Public administration still suffers from fragmented procedures, incompatible data formats, and limited interoperability. In addition, Greece is currently considered a “beginner” in the EU’s open data maturity rankings, as public sector data are not always accessible, machine-readable, or openly licensed. At the same time, the growing influence of multinational Big Tech companies raises concerns regarding state data sovereignty and dependency on external digital infrastructures. Public distrust related to privacy violations, the absence of regulatory and ethical frameworks for Artificial Intelligence, and fears of algorithmic bias further complicate the digital transition. Limited citizen participation in the design of automated decision-making systems, insufficient cybersecurity legislation, weak digital literacy, and the low adoption of open-source technologies also undermine resilience and transparency. The proposed solutions emphasise an integrated institutional, technological, and organisational strategy. Key measures include adopting a “digital by default” legislative approach and implementing the concept of “Law as Code.” Stronger European and international cooperation is recommended to regulate digital monopolies and enhance digital independence through investments in infrastructure, software, Artificial Intelligence, and data governance. Further priorities include expanding open￾data policies, strengthening interoperability, improving cybersecurity standards and personal data protection, enhancing public sector training, and promoting participatory governance through co-design processes involving citizens, experts, and businesses.​
Keywordsdigital governance; artificial intelligence; data policy; security; technological sovereignty
JEL CodesO33; O38; F52; L17; L86​

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​Title
DOI​DOI: 10.47743/ejpar.2026-7-7
AuthorNancy Abwalaba
Abstract
Despite Kenya’s substantial investments in digital education through the Digital Literacy Programme (DLP), the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), and inclusive education policies, limited research has examined how these initiatives promote equitable digital inclusion for girls with special needs in rural primary schools. In Kilifi County, poverty, inadequate educational infrastructure, and limited institutional capacity intersect with gender and disability to create persistent barriers to digital participation. Understanding these intersecting inequalities is essential for advancing equitable digital education. Guided by the Intersectional Digital Capability Framework (IDCF), which integrates intersectionality, the capability approach, and governance theory, this study examines how structural inequalities, institutional capability, governance processes, and capability expansion interact to shape digital literacy among girls with special needs in rural Kenyan primary schools. Specifically, the study identifies barriers that constrain digital literacy development and examines the institutional and community practices that support inclusive digital participation. A qualitative case study design was employed. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with teachers, headteachers, parents, and girls with special needs, complemented by classroom observations and document analysis. Thematic analysis revealed that digital exclusion extends beyond limited technological infrastructure to include inadequate assistive technologies, insufficient teacher preparation in inclusive digital pedagogy, weak institutional support, inconsistent implementation of inclusive education policies, gendered participation patterns, and socio-economic constraints that restrict learners’ opportunities to engage effectively with digital technologies. The findings demonstrate that meaningful digital inclusion cannot be achieved through technological provision alone. Rather, it depends on 
the interaction of inclusive governance, institutional capability, accessible technologies, and pedagogical practices that expand learners’ capabilities and educational opportunities. By developing and applying the Intersectional Digital Capability Framework (IDCF), this study offers a novel conceptual framework together with contextually grounded empirical evidence that advances scholarship on digital inclusion, inclusive education, and educational policy, with implications for Kenya and other resource-constrained settings across the Global South. ​​
Keywordsdigital literacy; girls with disabilities; inclusive education; intersectional digital capability framework; educational governance; Kenya.​
JEL Codes

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​Title
DOI​DOI: 10.47743/ejpar.2026-7-7
AuthorZeala Pinto
Abstract
This paper examines the shift from talk of “work–life balance” to the everyday practice of work–life integration in high-tech, using Israeli firms closely coupled to United States time zones as a critical case. Drawing on nineteen semi-structured interviews with engineers, product leaders, recruiters, and executives, the study synthesizes classic lenses of conflict/enrichment, boundary fit, and demands–resources with current organizational realities such as hybrid work and return-to-office policies. The analysis identifies a practical core to integration: temporal equity. Outcomes depend less on total hours and more on four conditions operating together: usable schedule, control, boundary fit between preferences and team routines, contained connectivity load so evenings do not become “shadow stand-ups,” and credit decoupled from live presence through artifacts (recorded demos, written kudos, sponsor-of-record practices). Interviews show how Israeli–U.S. coordination creates a recurrent “time-zone tax,” how mental load extends beyond leave into daily logistics, and how simple routines protected family bands with written exceptions, mirrored ceremonies across time zones, rota audits for late hours reduce friction without slowing delivery. Men’s planned co-ownership of care appears as a small but notable cultural shift. The paper contributes a clear, practice-oriented lens on integration and a lightweight measurement sketch for teams to make time costs visible. Managing when work happens and how recognition is earned, rather than only where work occurs, enables the same total hours to sustain careers without taxing family life.
Keywordswork–life integration; work–life balance; women in tech; hybrid work; temporal equity
JEL CodesJ16; J22; J28; M12; O33​

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​Title
DOI​DOI: 10.47743/ejpar.2026-7-9
AuthorLuyao Rao
AbstractSince its inception in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has generated a growing body of research on its far-reaching implications. This paper reviews and critically examines the literature on the BRI’s economic and trade impacts and their underlying mechanisms. The review identifies three principal channels: Chinese foreign direct investment, infrastructure connectivity, and integration into global value chains. Most theoretical and empirical studies associate the BRI with economic growth and increased trade in participating countries, although the magnitude and distribution of these benefits vary across regions according to institutional quality, policy settings, cultural context, and local economic conditions. The literature also raises continuing concerns about debt sustainability and the environmental risks of large-scale infrastructure projects. Overall, the evidence indicates that the BRI creates substantial economic opportunities, but its longer-term outcomes depend on complementary policies, local absorptive capacity, and effective risk management.
KeywordsBelt and Road Initiative; literature review; international trade; global economy; sustainable development.
JEL CodesF13, F18, F53, F60​​

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Copyright © 2026 European Journal of Public Administration Research 
The journal offers access to the content in the open access system on Creative Commons A​ttribution 4.0 International Licence

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