Editorial: Freedom House Report on the Situation with Democracy in the Transition Countries

31 May 2004

Nations in Transit Report

Voice of America, the press agency, recently reported on the latest �Nations in Transit� Report by the Freedom House Foundation which promotes democracy in the world. This year again, Freedom House measured the levels of democracy in the transition countries. To the great surprise of the governing structures � Croatia IS NOT the leader of democracy in the ex-communist countries.

Out of the 27 countries enveloped by the survey, Croatia shares the 10th place with Serbia and Montenegro. It entered the top 40 percent of the listed and surveyed countries. All countries that formerly belonged to the Eastern Bloc and recently entered the EU are placed ahead of Croatia.
Two Balkan countries, Bulgaria and Croatia, received better marks. Behind Croatia are the countries from the former Soviet Union and the Balkan countries.

The survey did not pay attention to actual facts and situation, but concentrated on measuring the improvements in comparison with last year. The parametres used were freedom of the press, the situation of the judiciary, spread of corruption, electoral system, the status of civic society.
According to the �Nations in Transit� Report, the lead is shared by Slovenia and Poland. Croatia received 3.83 ratings, which is less than a half of the total possible rating points, and is half the ratings awarded to Poland.

Freedom House

The lowest mark for Croatia was on the spread of corruption � only 4.75 (7 is the lowest mark, while 1 is the best). In that category, Croatia received the same mark as Bosnia and Herzegovina. The same story applies as in the general list: all EU countries received higher rates, while some countries of the Balkans and the non-Baltic Newly Independent State (NIS) got worse marks.

Izvjestaj takodjer dodaje da je korupcija u Hrvatskoj izra�enija u gospodarskom sektoru negoli u političkom.
Ako je to nekog iznenadilo, u bilo kojim dnevnim novinama korupcijskih afera (vidi: Končar, Spajić, Ćesić & MORH), moze pratiti rasplitanje bar 3 (gotovo identicno broju �panjolskih sapunica), koje na kraju (za razliku od televizijskih) nikada ne dočekaju svoj vrhunac i finale. Nekako im se sudbinski uvijek odre�e dio fabule pa se priča razvodni i akteri, nezamjećeno, uglavnom isplivaju.
The Report gave a greater independent of the media mark to Serbia, Montenegro and Bulgaria, as well as to all Central European Countries.

The alleged reason were the recent court sentences on defamation charges against several journalists and the draft-Law on Slender and Libel which, instead of de-criminalizing the slender and libel and remove it from the realm of the Criminal Law, introduces prison terms for reporters and publishers. In fairness, the Report does mention that those plans were abandoned and the Law will be revoked from procedure, it nevertheless had a negative impact, as estimated, on journalistic independence.

The attempts to re-introduce sanctions for journalists demonstrate that the newly elected Government is yet to intervene on its policies, and that the recent changes were mostly cosmetic in nature.

It is highly unlikely that the Government will agree with these evaluation of its efforts in the field of human rights, media freedoms and all the rest. However, what they see as an incredible, back-bone breaking effort to adjust to the norms of the European Union and the Western Civilization (in the most positive meaning of the word), remain indisputable values for the other governments and countries.

Suma sumarum: Croatia is among the leaders in the Balkans, but lags behind the EU member states � a position most favoured by Croatians, it seems. What can be sweeter, after all, than making fun of your neighbours? Some would say, so typically Balkan.