A Historic European Nation

Tourism in Croatia-which concentrates on what is probably the most beautiful coastline in the world- (the Eastern Coast of the Adriatic sea) is what keeps the economy from drowning. The season’s income from tourism can reach up to 8 billion dollars.

Who or what is that small Catholic nation in Southeast Europe right now? What has it brought with it to this historical moment and what will it carry into its future?
Well Croatia has got several histories! After being ruled by kings and dukes for rather a long period in the middle ages, a 900-year-period followed when it was linked in various alliances, until 1990, when Croatia finally established an autonomous state which was to be paid for with a bloody war of independence.

Each of the histories has left an indelible mark. The national identity and its striving to be an autonomic State, has never waned. In the long centuries of European history, Croatic essence was characterised by its affiliation to western Catholicism, in its culture and civilization. It had the specific task of being the antemurale christianitatis, “the bulwark of Christianity”.

The People with a mighty Diaspora

Who and what is Croatia today? It is a state of about 57,000 square kilometers and with about 4.5 million inhabitants, and a Diaspora of approximately half that number again.

It faces all the typical problems of countries undergoing transition, and in political terms it intends joining the EU and NATO.

It hasn’t got a very competitive economy; its imports far outweigh its exports. International capital has, up till now, only shown interest in purchasing the strategic resources of Croatia: – the banks, (which are almost completely in foreign possession), telecommunications, the national pharmaceutical and natural energy companies, and the media (the two national TV channels and the two largest press agencies). Besides, Croatia is under the burden of foreign debt – over 30 billion dollars. She carries all the burdens of the aftermath of war, and one of those burdens which is particularly difficult for her people is the sentencing of the Croatian Generals in the Hague, since the population of Croatia sees them as innocent.

Croatia has got about 300.000 unemployed people, and many of those who are employed live with salaries that are so low that they have the same standard as two thirds of the one million pensioners have.

But, a first impression when one visits the capital of Zagreb, with its expensive cars, and many shopping centers, elite shops, boutiques, cafes and restaurants, is that the living in Croatia is not bad. This can certainly be said for the wealthy, who made large profits by converting state companies into private ones, and also for the middle class who, like many European citizens, live on credit loans. Data shows that about 200.000 Croats spend winters skiing in the elite European skiing resorts, which is confusing to everyone, and suggests that under the masquerade of constant moaning there is a Croatia which is economically alive.

But it is tourism in Croatia, which concentrates on what is probably the most beautiful coastline in the world (the Eastern Coast of the Adriatic sea) that keeps the economy from drowning. The season’s income from tourism can reach up to 8 billion dollars.

87 % Catholic

Croatia is still not using the full extent of its possibilities and advantages: It has for example excellent conditions for agricultural produce, for a wood processing industry, (the high quality logs are mainly exported), both a sea and river fish industry, its unspoiled rivers provide drinking water, it is advanced in scientific research and tourism inland awaits development: the country is full of monuments, hunting-grounds, beautiful countryside, there is an alluring rusticity and a cookery tradition which is very rich.

Thanks to this, there are strong contrasts visible between the rich and the poor, between those who have managed well under these new, capitalist conditions, and those whose destiny depends largely on the economic policies of the authorities.

Regarding the authorities, just as in other transition countries, the right-wing and the left-wing political groups take turns, and both are criticized for their lack of ability to put an end to corruption. The political world is an endless maze of inefficient legislative regulations, preferential treatment, interference with the freedom of the media, lack of good policies- especially in the area of the economy, being subject of to foreign factors, a basic neglect of national interests and a devastating sale of companies which belong to the state.

Due to the large number of inhabitants declaring themselves to be Catholic (87 percent) an image is created of a population largely under the influence of the Church, but its power is questionable. The inevitable division of the society into class strata, and a suffocating liberalization, which is aided by the media shows that at least for now, the Church is not even capable to do anything. This is visable even in the escalation of Sunday working hours.

The Church is also shackled by the fact that there are still some controversy about the return of Church real-estate (which had been sequestered during communism). Pleas for an increase in birth rates, not only by the Church, go mostly unheard. The birth-rate is extremely low in Croatia (1.3 childbirths per woman, and it takes 2.1 for the basic biological reproduction).

In conclusion, we can say that Croatia although is a stable democratic country, where social and political disturbances are no longer commonplace, it could also be said from the facts in this review alone, that as a historic European nation, with significant natural and human resources, the Croats situation should be much better. (By Milan Ivkošić)