Public archives and private archival records in countries undergoing transition

Abstract

Transition from monopartian to plural democratic societies in real-socialism, which lasts about three decades, has brought about some changes in the archival activity of the successor countries of the former Yugoslavia. This, among other things, is reflected in the more favorable treatment of the private sector’s archival material, which was marginalized at the time of socialism. Changes are much more concerned with archival legislation than on its application. The cause of the problem is that these materials, allegedly, to the formation of special and private archives need to worry about public archives. However, public archives for a variety of reasons are not at the required level in the archive regulations of the obligations to private archive material, are not sufficiently engaged in animating the importance of this issue, which contributes to maintaining the existing unsatisfactory state. And not only do not create the establishment of special and private archive institutions, but some such concrete initiatives and attempts prevent it, and thus retain the existing monopoly in this activity. The absence of professionalism in public archives, mostly in their own heads of politically adept administration, and in the state and society, is a misinterpretation of the issue of public archives about private archives at the appropriate level. The intention of the author of this article is to point to the anomalies present and the lack of access to public archives of this issue.