November 18, 2007
Jeffrey T. Kuhner - The communist habit of deceit and double-speak continues to haunt countries once trapped behind the Iron Curtain. Such is the case in Croatia as it is led by Eastern Europe's most incorrigible and brazen liar, Ivo Sanader.
Few peoples in Eastern Europe suffered under the yoke of Marxism-Leninism as much as Croatians did. For decades, Croatia was a captive nation within Yugoslavia. From 1945 until his death in 1980, communist dictator Josip Broz Tito brutally suppressed dissent. Presented to the world as a utopian multinational federation, Yugoslavia was in fact a Serb-dominated totalitarian empire. The regime's victims included Germans, Slovenes, Albanians, Montenegrins, Macedonians and even royalist Serbs — known as 'Chetniks' — who were critical of the Titoist myth of 'brotherhood and unity.'
Tito's greatest victims, however, were the Croatians. Hundreds of thousands were murdered; countless dissidents were imprisoned; Catholic priests and nuns were slaughtered; basic press freedoms and human rights were abrogated; the economy was collectivized; and Croatia's distinct cultural identity was nearly eradicated. In short, Tito sought not only to subjugate Croatia, but to transform it into a vast social engineering laboratory for his murderous ideological experiment.
Despite its economic failures and genocidal criminality, Titoism sustained itself by relying on two things: a ubiquitous propaganda machine and loyal local communist parties willing — and even eager — to mouth the regime's lies. This led to a public culture of mendacity, in which Zagreb's communists constantly issued statements in direct contradiction to reality.
After the dissolution of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, Croatia won its independence and overthrew the old communist system. The Titoist order disappeared, but its mindset and habits persist — especially in Zagreb's odious practice of denying reality.
This is clearly evident in the current government led by Ivo Sanader and the conservative Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ). Elected in 2003, Mr. Sanader promised to make sweeping economic reforms and lead Zagreb into the European Union and NATO. Croatia, along with Turkey, is next on the EU's list of possible membership candidates.
The government presents EU membership to ordinary Croatians as a foregone conclusion. This is inaccurate. In fact, Mr. Sanader's government has failed to overhaul Croatia's economy to make it ready to join the EU. In matters of economic and judicial reform, Croatia lags behind other former communist states. Yet instead of confronting this difficult reality, Mr. Sanader denies it — or even worse, lies in order to conceal his government's poor performance.
The European Union's 2006 progress report criticized Mr. Sanader's administration for having 'no overall strategic framework' for reform. The report decried Croatia's lack of political transparency and accountability, state meddling in the judiciary and rampant corruption. Mr. Sanader's response was foolish: He simply lied. The prime minister told the Croatian public the EU had 'praised' his government for 'progress... when it comes to reforms.' This prompted the Wall Street Journal to denounce him for 'playing spin doctor.'
The political culture of mendacity inherited from the Titoist years is crippling Croatia's ability to become a truly democratic, prosperous modern European state. Facts do not lie, and they reveal Croatia is falling behind. Unemployment is 14 percent. Zagreb is burdened with a massive public debt. Tariffs are a draconian 22 percent on most imports — which hurts Croatian consumers, particularly the poor. Government expenditures consist of 52 percent of the country's gross domestic product. Excessive regulations, a bloated and inefficient bureaucracy and the lack of protections for private property stifle the economy. They discourage much-needed foreign investment, entrepreneurial initiative and wealth creation.
The Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal's 2007 Index of Economic Freedom rates Croatia 109th out of 157 countries worldwide — a dismal 37th out of 41 nations in Europe. In matters of property rights, the rule of law, corruption and freedom from government, the index called Croatia 'repressed.' On most indicators, Croatia scored considerably lower than neighbors Slovenia and Hungary. Mr. Sanader's response was to reject the data, calling it 'untrue.' He did the same with similar conclusions from the World Bank and Economist magazine.
In short, Mr. Sanader lives in a political fantasy land. He thinks he can spin the Croatian public any way he desires. Croatians are voting in parliamentary elections Nov. 25 to decide their next government. Opinion polls show the ruling HDZ is trailing the resurgent Social Democratic Party, and that a liberal-left coalition is likely. Thus, Mr. Sanader and his HDZ had their chance and they blew it. Croatians are rejecting Mr. Sanader's record of haughty and frequent deceit.
The refusal to face reality may have been possible during the communist era, but it does not work for long in the competitive, global arena of the 21st century. Mr. Sanader has been unmasked by the facts: The Croatian people should tell him through their votes that from now on, when he lies, it will be to an empty room in his own house, far from the seat of power.
Jeffrey T. Kuhner is editor of Insight on the News (www.insightmag.com).
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