This article aims to analyse the background of the establishment, competences and the
achievement of the national minority councils, minority specific bodies in Croatia. As an
ethnic minority representation model, those bodies established at the local and regional level
should contribute to realisation of the most tangible, concrete problems and needs of
minorities in communities where they dwell. Their achievements and results so far, well into
their second mandate, reveal a mixed answer. Whereas in a few counties and cities the
councils have managed to assume some degree of influence in shaping local minority related
policies, majority of them are still appearing insecure about their actual competences, or,
being financially dependent on insolvent local administrations, struggle with acquiring the
logistic utensils that should allow for accomplishment of the prescribed competences. This
article concludes that the national minority councils’ results vary and that due to low turnout
in the councils’ elections even their legitimacy might be questioned. Therefore, the article is
setting a question if some other method of minority representation at regional and local level
could have achieve more efficient and less costly role of the one the national minority
councils are endowed with?