Racan played a key role in the break-up of the former Yugoslav Communist Party and later kept the flame of democracy burning as the opposition leader during the rule of nationalist Franjo Tudjman, the second largest faction in the European Parliament said in a statement, adding that as prime minister between 2000 and 2003, Racan opened Croatia to Europe and the world and marked the start of serious economic development.
The statement quoted PES president Poul Nyrup Rasmussen as saying that Racan was a good and genuine leader, a man of enormous integrity and honesty who served his country and party with unquestionable loyalty.
Rasmussen was further quoted as saying that despite an enormous contribution to the creation of a democratic Croatia, Racan was modest and unpretentious, that any agreement concluded with him was an agreement, and that his death was a big loss to Croatia and social democracy in Europe.
Slovenia's Prime Minister Janez Jansa and Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel extended condolences over Racan's death to Croatia's PM Ivo Sanader and Foreign Minister Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic respectively, the Slovene news agency STA said.