Croatia never ceases to amaze me. As the world is sinking into recession, which threatens to turn into a full-blown depression, the country is preoccupied with handball. Handball! The Croatian national team now seems to be the favorite for the title of world champion, and the championship is taking place in Croatia, of all places. The whole country is ecstatic about this marginal sport. Wherever one goes, one hears the ceaseless chanting: “Croatia, Croatia, Croatia…” The news of collapsing economy and deepening unemployment are reserved for the back pages of happy-go-lucky newspapers. It will thus take months before it becomes obvious to everyone that the global economic gloom pertains to Croatia, as well. But one cannot blame the incompetent government for all this. A good part of the blame lies with the incompetent electorate given to nationalistic frenzy. The upcoming local elections, which are due in several months, are unlikely to change much for the latter reason. The incompetent government is therefore most likely to persist through the depression, which will keep getting worse through much of its four-year mandate. If only one could laugh at the unfolding tragedy!