This text offers a short overview of S&T capacities in the Republic of Croatia. In the transition period (from 1990 on), S&T capacities have generally declined, due to reduced investments and slow and inadequate restructuring of the sector, which caused heavy brain-drain and worsened material conditions for research. Conceptual frameworks for the restructuring and development of S&T still remain unclear, which enables oscillations and radical changes in the treatment of the S&T sector by different Croatian governments. Priorities are being changed often, or remain undefined, and fluctuations in investment and turnover in proclaimed institutional reforms are typical. The text concludes with the strong recommendation that an S&T policy should be clearly formulated, publicly proclaimed and implemented, which would position S&T as a development priority for the country.