Croatia - 81.82
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A bright future in the Balkans
Croatia has made an excellent recovery from the turmoil and atrocities that characterized the collapse of Yugoslavia. Today, the country is noted not for its squalor or totalitarianism but for being a general exception to the rule that the Balkans are poorer and worse off than the rest of Europe. An EU and NATO member, Croatia maintains good relations with the West and manages a free and fair democracy. Of concern was the treatment of the country’s ethnic Roma minority, a group that faces mistreatment and discrimination across Eastern and Central Europe, to which Croatia is no exception. Croatia also has markedly higher corruption than most other countries in the European Union, with bribes often being necessary to obtain public services in a timely manner.
Human Rights - 81
Croatia has fully abolished the death penalty. Police abuse of migrants at border crossings was rampant. Migrants arriving from Bosnia were often harassed and extorted by Croatian border guards. One incident was reported where sixteen migrants were rounded up, detained illegally, tied to a tree, and beaten by officers wearing balaclavas. The offending officers have not yet been identified. Croatia recently updated its legal definition of rape to be based on consent rather than the use of force, but domestic violence remains a misdemeanor under Croatian law. Parliament granted the government emergency authorization to track the locations of all mobile devices during COVID. The measure was granted as part of a COVID-19 contact-tracing measure and was ruled unconstitutional thirteen months later. Roma are openly discriminated against in education. No laws prohibit private schools from denying entry to Roma children, and public schools often don’t recognize Roma residences. This leads to a disproportionate number of Roma children lacking any real access to education. Temporary Roma settlements often also preclude them from accessing social services, for which a recognized address is required. Croatia offers “life partnerships” but no gay marriage. Croatia guarantees same-sex joint adoption circa 2021. Abortion is legal to ten weeks.
Democracy - 85
The president is directly elected and the prime minister is appointed by the president and approved by parliament. Presidential elections saw record-low voter turnout at 55%. Parliament is directly elected. Prime Minister Andrej Plenković moved parliamentary elections forward by several months; critics claim the move was made to capitalize on goodwill surrounding his party, the center-right Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ). 8/151 seats in parliament are reserved for ethnic minorities. Elections are free and fair. Croatian politics function under a de facto two-coalition system, with elections dominated by the HDZ and a bloc of leftist parties and allied independents that consistently vote together. The Catholic church has meddled increasingly in Croatian politics, throwing its support behind the HDZ. Serbs and Roma are disenfranchised.
Freedom - 88
Croatia has seldom-enforced hate speech laws. Police occasionally threaten journalists but no serious or systemic threats exist to the freedom of the press. Authorities tolerate harassment against religious minorities, namely Serbian Orthodox and Jews. Parliament granted the government an emergency provision to track the locations of all mobile devices in the country. The initiative was part of a COVID-19 contact-tracing measure and was ruled unconstitutional thirteen months later. Croatia recently decriminalized possession of small amounts of drugs, but distribution, manufacture, and trafficking of drugs all remain illegal.
Economy - 87
Health - 95
Croatia has a life expectancy of 78 years and an infant mortality rate of 0.41%. 24.4% of Croats are obese and 1.7% are malnourished. Croatia’s strong universal healthcare system provides free care to all citizens and permanent residents through a network of hospitals providing consistently high-quality care. More than 99% of Croats have access to clean, running water. 36.6% of adult Croats smoke regularly.
Corruption - 54
Results of civil cases are frequently altered by bribes. Bribery is often necessary to obtain public services in a timely manner. Deeds, permits, and certificates are virtually impossible to obtain without bribery. Tax administration is also known for shakedowns and light extortion.
Competency - 79
The government is failing to ensure the protection of Roma. The government is also failing to protect migrants, often from itself, as migrants are disproportionately the victims of police brutality. The Catholic church has increasingly exercised influence over Croatia and Croatian politics, exercising the HDZ to push its interests.
Future - 85
Croatia has made an excellent recovery from the Yugoslav era and this trend looks to continue into the future. The Croatian economy took a major hit due to COVID and will likely take several years to recover.
Actions Abroad - 73
Croatia is a member of the EU and NATO. Despite maintaining relatively solid relations, Croatia and Bosnia have several overlapping claims to various small river islands under the de facto control of the other. Unlike Bosnia, Croatia’s territorial disputes with Serbia form a major barrier to repairing relations between the two countries, as Serbia claims an entire province under the de facto control of Croatia. Both claim various uninhabited river islands in the Danube under the de facto control of neither. Croatia recognizes the independence of Kosovo from Serbia, which is another major source of contention between the two nations. Outside of Balkan politics, where Croatia has been a leader, it is largely isolationist.
0.6% of Croats live below the international poverty line, while 18.3% live below the national poverty line. 7.2% of Croats are unemployed and the country has a very low economic disparity. The minimum wage in Croatia is $634 per month. Croatia has a strong universal healthcare system, will all citizens and permanent residents covered and all hospitals providing high-quality care. Croatia’s economy shrunk 8.4% in 2020 and grew 2.9% in 2019.