Political rights and civil liberties are generally respected in Croatia but corruption and discrimination against certain minorities is still worrying, Freedom House says in its 50th annual global freedom report on Thursday.

Compared to the previous year, Croatia has lost one point and now has a score of 84 – 35/40 for political rights and 49/60 for civil liberties.

Civil and political rights in Croatia are generally respected but corruption in the public sector remains a serious problem, the US nongovernmental organisation says in its report.

It warns that Roma, Serbs and members of the LGBT+ community in Croatia face discrimination, and that the presence of far-right groups that promote discriminatory values in public is also worrying.

As key events in 2022 Freedom House singled out the arrest of then construction minister Darko Horvat, the gas scam in INA, as well as Croatia’s entry to the euro area and the Schengen area of passport-free movement in 2023.

Neighbouring Slovenia has a score of 95 of the maximum 100, having moved up five places in the ranking in relation to 2021.

Of the other EU member states, the maximum score was given to Sweden and Finland, which are followed by the Netherlands, Ireland and Luxembourg with a score of 97. Hungary is the only EU member that is party free, with a score of 66.

Western Balkan countries are also partly free countries. Bosnia and Herzegovina has a score of 52, Kosovo and Serbia 60 each, Montenegro and Albania a score of 67 each and North Macedonia a score of 68.

The struggle for democracy may be approaching a turning point, the report says.

Even though global freedom declined for the 17th consecutive year in 2022, the negative trend has slowed down. 35 countries suffered deterioration in their political rights and civil liberties as against 60 in 2021 and 70 in 2020, according to the report.

Rights and liberties in Ukraine have deteriorated following Russia’s invasion of the country designed to topple the democratically elected government in Kyiv, the NGO said.