The analysis, carried out by the nongovernmental organisation GONG, of the government's communications strategy aimed at informing the Croatian public of the European Union and preparations for membership, presented in parliament on Tuesday, showed that the public is highly uninformed and that the number of Euro-sceptics has grown over the last five years.
According to the author of the analysis, GONG associate Renata Ivanovic, citizens have suspicions that the ruling structure has a hidden agenda. Ivanovic stressed that a lack of trust in Croatian institutions had also reflected on forming opinions about joining the EU.
The analysis shows that the role which the media were given in the strategy, adopted in 2006, is not visible in the way EU topics are covered.
The state secretary for European integration processes at the Croatian foreign ministry, Andrej Plenkovic, recalled the latest Croatian Television survey on the support of Croatian citizens to the country's joining the bloc, which showed that over 50 percent of the populations supports the EU joining. Plenkovic said it was logical that citizens' enthusiasm and support for the EU was not the same as it had been 15 years ago.
