SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS IN CROATIA AND MONTENEGRO: IN THE PERIOD FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE TRANSITION UNTIL 2023

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to compare the social and economic indicators of Croatia and Montenegro, since the period when they were republics within the SFRY and 30 years later. The study particularly focused on indicators related to social stratification and poverty, as well as basic macroeconomic indicators, such as gross domestic product (GDP) growth, average salaries, unemployment rate and public debt. Although Croatia has a larger population and a larger territory, the fact that both countries have coastal and continental regions points to similarities in the structure of their economy, such as the greater share of tourism in the GDP structure, which makes them vulnerable in terms of external shocks such as the crises in 2008 and 2020. The mentioned aspects were compared with the status of the political system and the institutional capacity.
The results of the research can be useful for creators of social and economic policies, in terms of reducing the social gap and further economic growth.