Media: The climate for public debate has improved in Croatia in recent years, as the media have become more critical and report on sensitive topics such as the Croatian Army's war crimes during the war in the 1990s. Approximately 140 radio stations and 15 television channels operate in Croatia, and two-thirds of the national television stations are privately owned. According to Freedom House 2008, the press has increasingly been used as a tool by media owners to promote their business and political interests. However, journalists are sometimes subject to political pressures and violence, threats or jail sentences. According to news reports in 2008, several gang-related killings and attacks of reporters working on stories related to organised crime took place. Government officials occasionally use libel laws against the media, although penalties for libel have been reduced to fines, seizure of assets, or community service. In particular, the issue of war crimes remains a highly sensitive topic, and journalist face pressure and intimidation if their reporting is seen to denigrate Croatia's role in the 1991-1995 Balkan conflict. In October 2008, Ivo Pukanic, owner and columnist of one of Croatia's major weekly papers, who had interviewed a general later convicted for war crimes committed during the war with Serbia, was killed. Croatia is ranked 78th out of 175 countries on the Reporters Without Borders Worldwide Press Freedom Index 2009, while Freedom House 2009 ranks Croatia 82nd out of 195 countries and describes the country's media environment as 'partly free'. In general, Croatia has come a long way in ensuring independent media.
Civil Society: A large number NGOs and CSOs in Croatia and conduct programmes targeting a wide range of social issues. Since the wartime period of the 1990s, the country has developed a tradition of active human rights-oriented NGOs, but they face problems in being taken seriously by the government. Environmental groups also exist, but they play only a minor role in policy-making. Generally, the state has a rather negative or indifferent attitude towards CSOs, as they are considered to be part of the political opposition or simply undesired competition. At the same time, companies show few signs of social responsibility, further restricting the scope for cooperation between private actors and CSOs. One rare example of an NGO engaged in awareness-raising and training of companies and public institutions in environmental management, business ethics and corporate social responsibility is the Croatia Cleaner Production Centre, which cooperates with UNIDO on these issues. The NGOs engaged in anti-corruption questions seldom provide the business perspective to solving the problem.
Transparency International (TI) Croatia: TI Croatia carries out projects on issues such as freedom of information, political corruption and corruption in the judiciary. Furthermore, TI Croatia runs an Advocacy and Legal Advice Centre (ALAC) to address inquiries about corruption and offer advice on how to report corruption to government bodies. The ALAC also has a telephone hotline for people to report on suspected instances of corruption. The German government sponsors the ALAC project through the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe.
Partnership for Social Development (PSD, in Croatian): The PSD is engaged in anti-corruption questions and conflict of interest issues. They function as a watchdog for the government and offer their opinion and advice on the legislative work related to these interest areas. They only rarely provide a business approach to solving corruption and conflict of interest problems.
Croatian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CBCSD): The CBCSD promotes sustainable development in the private sector and represents business in sustainable development. It was founded in 1997 by leading Croatian companies. Member-founders have dedicated their expertise, experience, capability and responsibility into a shared commitment to sustainable development aiming to balance the country's economic growth, social welfare and environmental safety. The CBCSD conducts workshops and produces case studies on sustainable business practices, and has produced a report on corporate responsibility.
Resource Center of Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative for SEE (RAI-SEE): The RAI-SEE (formerly Stability Pact Anti-Corruption Initiative) was adopted in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, in February 2000 and aims at coordinating international and national anti-corruption efforts in Croatia and several other regional member countries. The RAI-SEE promotes the adoption of international legal instruments, good governance, strengthening the rule of law, transparency and integrity in business operations and the development of an active civil society in order to fight corruption.
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