Mozaici za gospodarsku budućnost hrvatskih otoka: primjer otok Pag

Abstract

During the entire period of the former Yugoslavia (in a declarative and colonizing fashion) and in the context of today’s independent Croatia (an effective and thought-out search for social-economic advancement) the orientation towards the Adriatic sea in the economic policy of Croatia and the special place it assigns to its islands has had its dilemmas, discrepancies but also its constant features and programs of development. The former period was characterized, especially when it comes to islands, by relatively poor socio-economic results because the few initiatives and projects faltered against "higher", that is, Yugoslavian interests and priorities. On the other hand, since the democratic changes during the nineties little lime has elapsed, not to speak of the war, for Croatia to have undertaken something of significant magnitude so that, regardless of qualitative presuppositions and spiritual impulses, the country stands at the very, albeit better, beginning. Dilemas and challenges pertaining to the development of the Adriatic islands, Pag (taken here as a paradigmatic case) included, arc many. Although the islands are marked by specificities, although they differ according to the level of development, it seems that even today the dominating idea consists in the assumption that tourism has to be their basic developmental basis. Alongside tourism agriculture, traditional crafts and certain branches of shipping are also considered. However, there is little structural differentation, quality, traditional specificity and selective deliberation within this justifiable orientation. Every county, district, all the islands, even every town want tourist development (let us emphasize this as the paradigm) but none of them ask themselves - what kind of tourism and within what boundaries? What does world tourist demand seek and what can they supply? In what fashion are other economic and social activities Io be improved through tourism, how to select optimal segments and how to complementari Iy act in the most favorable manner? How to designate the priorities of development and to arrive at a balanced and harmonious interpenetration of development and the functioning of the economic, natural, ecological, cultural and infrastructural factors? Within the broader Adriatic island context, the article analyses the condition and the possibilities of the island of Pag, taking into consideration its specificities, attempts to think about its future and its prosperity primarily in a manner which contrasts with the so-called large scale planning and development, suggesting specific possible solutions and tendencies. Its purpose is therefore solely to instigate dilemmas, deliberations and solutions in the development of this lovely, somewhat bizarre and prosperous Croatian island. Regardless of all their differences and specificities one can still find within the family of Croatian islands similar and common features and possibilities. The article employs the socio-economic method of investigation.