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Cover -- CONTENTS -- CROATIA: ASSESSING PROGRESS IN REDUCING FINANCIAL IMBALANCES -- A. Introduction -- B. Sectoral Balance Sheets -- C. Cross-Sectoral Assessment and Risks -- D. Takeaways and Recommendations -- References -- BOX -- 1. FX Stress Test Estimates -- FIGURES -- 1. Selected Regional and Country Indicators -- 2. Banking Sector Indicators -- 3. Bank External Financing -- 4. Selected Corporate Indicators -- 5. Selected Household Data -- 6. Selected Public Sector Indicators -- 7. Selected Central Bank Indicators -- 8. Sectoral Net FX Balance Sheet Exposures -- TABLES -- 1. External Vulnerability Indicators -- 2a. Balance Sheet Approach Matrix (In percent of GDP, 2010) -- 2b. Balance Sheet Approach Matrix (In percent of GDP, 2017).

The Croatian government is undertaking a five-year plan to move people with intellectual and physical disabilities from confinement in two long-stay institutions, to supported housing within their communities.This paper examines a 17-year investment by the Mental Health Initiative of the Open Society Public Health Program to make these reforms possible. It reviews the development of civil society engagement, past organizational failures, changes in international law and political pressure, the roots of government partnership, and future challenges and opportunities.

Croatia is becoming the 28th member of the European Union on July1st, 2013. Croatia has gone a long way from a socialist republic to an independentcountry recognized as one of the economic tigers of the Western Balkans in thefirst decade of the 21st century.Croatia has been hit by the global crisis, which turned out to be a huge externalshock for the region of the Western Balkans. Although it does not enter theeconomy through the direct channels, as local banks have not been engaged intoxic assets trade, but indirect channels, like the decrease of FDI, which deepensforeign trade deficits, slow credit growth or decrease of remittance which lead toeconomic disturbances during the last phase of the European integration process.Small economies, like Croatia, are exposed much more to the effects of any disturbanceson the international scene. They are dependent on foreign trade and the inflow of FDI, while their demand and inflation rate are affected by the pace of changes in big economies.The article addresses the problem of economic development in the countrywhich needs to deal with a problem of the economic crisis infection and the EUintegration process. The article studies the economic situation in Croatia which is the consequence of a recovery plan undertaken by the Croatian government. ; Croatia is becoming the 28th member of the European Union on July1st, 2013. Croatia has gone a long way from a socialist republic to an independentcountry recognized as one of the economic tigers of the Western Balkans in thefirst decade of the 21st century.Croatia has been hit by the global crisis, which turned out to be a huge externalshock for the region of the Western Balkans. Although it does not enter theeconomy through the direct channels, as local banks have not been engaged intoxic assets trade, but indirect channels, like the decrease of FDI, which deepensforeign trade deficits, slow credit growth or decrease of remittance which lead toeconomic disturbances during the last phase of the European integration process.Small economies, like Croatia, are exposed much more to the effects of any disturbanceson the international scene. They are dependent on foreign trade and the inflow of FDI, while their demand and inflation rate are affected by the pace of changes in big economies.The article addresses the problem of economic development in the countrywhich needs to deal with a problem of the economic crisis infection and the EUintegration process. The article studies the economic situation in Croatia which is the consequence of a recovery plan undertaken by the Croatian government.

Croatia is becoming the 28th member of the European Union on July1st, 2013. Croatia has gone a long way from a socialist republic to an independentcountry recognized as one of the economic tigers of the Western Balkans in thefirst decade of the 21st century.Croatia has been hit by the global crisis, which turned out to be a huge externalshock for the region of the Western Balkans. Although it does not enter theeconomy through the direct channels, as local banks have not been engaged intoxic assets trade, but indirect channels, like the decrease of FDI, which deepensforeign trade deficits, slow credit growth or decrease of remittance which lead toeconomic disturbances during the last phase of the European integration process.Small economies, like Croatia, are exposed much more to the effects of any disturbanceson the international scene. They are dependent on foreign trade and the inflow of FDI, while their demand and inflation rate are affected by the pace of changes in big economies.The article addresses the problem of economic development in the countrywhich needs to deal with a problem of the economic crisis infection and the EUintegration process. The article studies the economic situation in Croatia which is the consequence of a recovery plan undertaken by the Croatian government. ; Croatia is becoming the 28th member of the European Union on July1st, 2013. Croatia has gone a long way from a socialist republic to an independentcountry recognized as one of the economic tigers of the Western Balkans in thefirst decade of the 21st century.Croatia has been hit by the global crisis, which turned out to be a huge externalshock for the region of the Western Balkans. Although it does not enter theeconomy through the direct channels, as local banks have not been engaged intoxic assets trade, but indirect channels, like the decrease of FDI, which deepensforeign trade deficits, slow credit growth or decrease of remittance which lead toeconomic disturbances during the last phase of the European integration process.Small economies, like Croatia, are exposed much more to the effects of any disturbanceson the international scene. They are dependent on foreign trade and the inflow of FDI, while their demand and inflation rate are affected by the pace of changes in big economies.The article addresses the problem of economic development in the countrywhich needs to deal with a problem of the economic crisis infection and the EUintegration process. The article studies the economic situation in Croatia which is the consequence of a recovery plan undertaken by the Croatian government.

The paper analyses economic inequality in Croatia in comparison with other transition economies of Central, East and Southeast Europe. It comprises a literature review and a descriptive analysis as well as an econometric modelling exercise. The main findings are the following Over the entire transition period, Croatia has had a rather low and remarkably stable level of income inequality. The decomposition analysis of the period 2000-2006 shows that, although the concentration of income from paid employment was rising, overall stability of income inequality was due to a reduction of the more unequally distributed income from self-employment as well as to improved targeting of public transfers in later years. By contrast, the redistributive effect of the system of public pensions is rather low and could be improved. The outcome of the econometric analysis suggests that Croatia should further aim for a high share of government expenditures and a low level of inflation, in order to achieve a reasonable redistribution of disposable income and a stable development of real income. At the same time Croatia should increase its share of exports of goods and services in GDP to raise employment in the more productive export industries. Efforts to further decrease the relatively high unemployment rate would yield positive distributional effects as well.

This article explores the influence of the Catholic church on educational policy, more specifically on sex education, in Croatia. It explores tensions between secular and religious discourses regarding the introduction of a sex education programme supported by the Catholic church into Croatian schools. The presence of the Catholic doctrine in the educational system provided the basis for the introduction of sex education with a religious framework, namely the GROZD sex education programme. The GROZD (Glas roditelja za djecu [Parents' Voice for Children]) programme triggered a public discussion that soon became a polarization between liberal (i.e. secular) and traditional (i.e. religious) discourses. In the discussion, the traditional/Catholic value system was used as a justification for the introduction of a sex education programme that was seen by opponents as harmful.

In the Republic of Croatia, as a country which in the recent past has had the experience of transitioning from a totalitarian regime to a democracy, suffered through war and its repercussions, undergone privatization along with impoverishment of a significant proportion of its population, and joined the European Union, the issue of national values should be crucial in terms of political, as well as intellectual elite, because only by protecting Croatian values can its people preserve their recognisability and identity. One observable problem at all levels of Croatian society is the escape from traditional values which are often seen as conservative and archaic. That same values are sometimes replaced by more likeable modern or postmodern variants which are presented as more desirable and acceptable in regards to the traditional values nurtured through generations. This article relies on the results of the European Values Study in 2008 which show the modernization of Croatian society, but also the importance of traditional values such as marriage, family, children, religiousness, which are stated in the book Values in Croatia and Europe: A Comparative Analysis.

Cover -- CONTENTS -- CONTEXT -- RECENT DEVELOPMENTS -- OUTLOOK AND RISKS -- POLICY DISCUSSIONS -- A. Fiscal Policy: Rebuilding Space and Enhancing Growth Prospects -- B. Structural Reforms: The Lever of a More Dynamic State -- C. Anchoring Stability Through Monetary and Financial Sector Policies -- STAFF APPRAISAL -- BOXES -- 1. Labor Market Taxation: Considerations -- 2. Governance Practices and Bank Intermediation Costs -- FIGURES -- 1. Market Sentiment and Ratings -- 2. Selected Real Sector Indicators -- 3. Banking Sector Developments -- 4. Corporate Debt and Agrokor's New Ownership Structure -- 5. Vulnerability Indicators -- 6. Fiscal Developments and Projections -- 7. Medium-Term Fiscal Consolidation Scenarios -- 8. Number of Subnational Governments and Population, 2014 -- 9. Real Estate Prices and Bank Claims on Households -- 10. Insolvency Costs and Operating Costs of EU Banks -- 11. Labor Market Outcomes -- TABLES -- 1. Selected Economic Indicators -- 2. Medium-Term Baseline Scenario -- 3. Statement of Operations of General Government -- 4. Monetary Accounts -- 5. Financial Soundness Indicators -- 6. Balance of Payments -- ANNEXES -- I. Implementation of IMF Recommendations -- II. Public Debt Sustainability Analysis -- III. External Debt Sustainability Analysis -- IV. External Sector Assessment -- V. Risk Assessment Matrix -- CONTENTS -- FUND RELATIONS -- WORLD BANK RELATIONS -- STATISTICAL ISSUES.

IN ENGLISH: The chapter describes the changes in educational policy in Croatia from 1990 to 2015 with a brief overview of the previous period and an analysis of policy instruments used in the last decade. In the analysed period, Croatian educational policy has undergone important changes although it was not a priority of key political actors. The analysis is focused on instruments used to achieve the educational policy goals. The goals are defined based on national public political documents, which have determined educational priorities in the analysed period and they are analysed within the context of all changes in national policies, changes in politics and the Europeanization of public policies. The chapter begins with the thesis that selecting instruments depends highly on ideas and interests of key actors. --- IN CROATIAN: Poglavlje opisuje promjene u obrazovnoj politici u Hrvatskoj u razdoblju od 1990. do 2015. godine. Pri tome se daje pregled prethodnog ciklusa i analiza policy instrumenata koji su korišteni. U tom periodu, hrvatska obrazovna politika je prošla kroz niz važnih promjena unatoč tome što nije bila prioritet glavnih političkih aktera. Analiza je usmjerena na korištene instumente kojima su se ostvarivali ciljevi obrazovne politike. Ciljevi su definirani na temelji nacionalnih dokumenata, a kojima su određeni obrazovni prioriteti. Analiza uzima u obzir kontekst policy promjena na nacionalnoj razini, političke promjene i europeizaciju javnih politika. Polazna pretpostavka poglavlja je da odabir policy instrumenata snažno ovisi o idejama i interesima glavnih aktera.

The paper investigate attitudes of respondents belonging to different confessional, religious, socio-demographic, socio-structural and socio-cultural strata within the dominant Catholic population towards " religious others" – members of other main branches of the same religion in Croatia (Catholic/Orthodox/Protestant), members of other religions (Islam, Judaism), members of " sects" or New Religious Movements, and non-religious people – through the use of Bogardus' social distance scale. The question about social distance towards different religious groups was included in the questionnaire of ISSP survey " The Role of Government" , conducted by the Institute for Social Research in Zagreb in 2006 on a representative national sample (N=1200) of the Croatian adult population aged 18 years or more. The results showed the general social distance towards all religious others besides Catholics, and specifically the greater social distance toward religious communities which are new or which have not been present in this area for more than one century. Also, social distance is smaller towards non-religious than towards " the religious other" . Religiously affiliated respondents express greater social distance towards all religious groups and towards non-religious respondents than do those without religious affiliation. More religious respondents and religious practitioners express greater distance. Different socio- structural and socio-cultural characteristics of respondents also effects social distance, the predictor of greater distance being lower education, rural residential status and belonging to certain region (Lika and Banovina, Dalmatia).

Cover -- CONTENTS -- ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND CREDIT GROWTH: THE CASE OF CROATIA -- A. Introduction -- B. Why Was the Post GFC-Recovery in Croatia Different to Peers? -- C. The Relationship Between GDP Growth and Credit Growth -- D. Factors Influencing Bank Credit -- E. General Policy Implications -- References -- FIGURES -- 1. Europe and Croatia: GDP Growth and Bank Credit to the Private Sector -- 2. Croatia and Emerging Europe: Performance Relative to Projection Paths -- APPENDICES -- I. Country Groups -- II. Private Sector Deleveraging in Croatia -- III. Selective Regressions -- IV. The Croatian Banking System and Its Euroization -- V. Lending Surveys: Credit Demand or Credit Supply? -- VI. Resolution of Non-Performing Bank Loans.

This paper examines the factors and constraints that affect recent and potential growth in Croatia, as well as policies that can influence it. On current productivity trends, it estimates Croatia's potential growth rate at 4-4½ percent, a result reasonably robust to different methodologies. To sustain growth at a higher rate in line with the authorities' aspirations, the analysis highlights the critical need to improve the business environment through further measures to reduce the administrative burden, legal uncertainties, and corruption. It also emphasizes the importance of attracting more

This 2014 Article IV Consultation highlights that Croatia remains stuck in an unusually drawn out recession. In 2013, real GDP contracted for the 5th consecutive year, and stands now at less than 90 percent of the end-2008 level. Unemployment has risen to 17 percent. Domestic demand remains depressed as corporations and households focus on reducing excessive debts accumulated in the 2000s. Exports and foreign direct investment are also feeble. The outlook is for an additional contraction in 2014 of almost 1 percent. Real domestic demand would remain feeble, reflecting both weak private sector