Croatia:
Former Croatian President Tudjman died in December 1999, and after that an election was held; the result was that the opposition party won. Headed by Ivica Racan, it has formed a coalition with four other parties. Racan, the new Prime Minister, is a social democrat who's promised economic growth and more jobs. There was also a presidential election, won by Centrist Stipe Mesic. He promises to integrate Croatia into the EEC.
Croatia is a relatively peaceful country now, with only the activities of criminal gangs in Zagreb marring the scene. However, the economic situation is bad for a European country. Unemployment is 20.4 per cent, and monthly salaries are only $600.
Tourists are free to wander around the country visiting the resorts of the Adriatic coast, the historic cities of Dubrovnik and Split, and the action-packed city of Zagreb.
Outside of the cities, there are national parks, mountains, and thermal springs to visit. About 7.5 per cent of Croatia is nature reserve, and that percentage is supposed to go up to 15 per cent. This means you can do quite a bit of hiking. In winter, you can go skiing, as the infrastructure for the ski industry is well developed.
Croatians love to socialize and argue and have parties, and if you go to Croatia you will no doubt get pulled into this scene.
This page last updated February 20, 2000.
The Republic of Croatia Tourist Information website has a lot of good info on the country.