The book “Public Finance – Efficient and Fair” by Katarina Ott, long-time director of the Institute of Public Finance, was presented on Tuesday, 4 March 2025.

The book features a comprehensive selection of her more popularly written articles initially published in the Institute of Public Finance’s publications – Press Releases and Newsletter, Banka magazine, and on the tportal. They were written over the past thirty years, during the dissolution of the old and the establishment of a new state, the transition from a socialist to a market economy, and the preparations for joining the European Union. They cover a broad range of topics – including governance, morality, taxation, budgeting, liberalism, management, and the role of citizens – reflecting the author’s extensive academic career.

"My focus has always been on the role of the government in the economy, public sector reforms, public administration, local finance, and the shadow economy, as these are crucial topics. During my university years, I was fortunate to be particularly drawn to the courses of Professor Hanžeković, especially those related to finance. I started researching public debt and, through that, discovered government budgets. Once I began digging through budgets, I never left them. Budgets encompass everything – how much the government will collect, how it will spend it, how it will finance deficits, whether it will borrow, where, and in what way," Ott explained.

The book was discussed by editor Željko Ivanković, Milan Deskar-Škrbić from the Croatian National Bank, and Branko Stanić, our researcher, who emphasized how the author continuously reminds us of the importance of public finances and their impact on everyday life.