These are the results of a survey published by the iDEMO-Institute for Democracy in the publication "Social Openness Index, Croatia 2006", which was presented in Zagreb on Thursday.
The survey was presented by editor Simona Goldstein, the president of the iDEMO Governing Board, Slavica Singer, and Professor Gvozden Flego of the Faculty of Philosophy.
On a scale of 1 to 100 index points, Croatia's openness in 2006 was given 42.1 points, while last year it was given 40.8 points. According to experts, the Croatian society is more closed than open. Increased openness was reported in five areas - media, education, economic rights and enterprise, the rule of law, and minorities and marginalised groups.
The media were given the most index points - 46.
Flego said that there were two negative trends in the media - they are increasingly under the influence of profit and politics, particularly the executive authorities.
The area of politics saw a drop in openness (only 32 points), with the biggest drop referring to political responsibility, which was given only 27 points, Flego said.
He added that serious work was required to reach at least 50 points, which would show that the Croatian society is more open than closed.
The survey shows that there is a growing number of people who define an open society as a society where all issues are debated openly and where all citizens, regardless of their identity, have equal opportunities.
This year the percentage of respondents with such a view was 55 percent, an increase from last year's 47 percent.
Economy and education are second and third with an equal number of points - 45. The economy has seen the greatest progress in opening up, going up from the third to the second place, which can be explained with the launching of reforms. The rule of law is fourth with 44 points, while minorities and marginalised groups are fifth with 43 points.
Experts believe that the most important area is the rule of law, while the public believes that education is the most important area.
Along with the results for the six areas, the survey also included two studies as examples of positive and negative trends in the opening of society. The positive example referred to the prosecution of war crimes, while the negative example referred to the marginalisation of gender minorities.