Croatia Among EU's Fastest-Growing Economies with Rising Wages and Record Tourism Revenue

With a projected GDP growth of 3.2%, Croatia, according to Prime Minister Plenković, remains among the fastest-growing countries in the European Union.

Public debt, measured as a percentage of GDP, is expected to fall to 56% this year, according to government projections.

“We remain optimistic about economic expectations for 2025, with the goal of ensuring that progress is felt by every Croatian family and household,” he said.

He added that the government’s priorities for the current mandate include increasing wages and pensions, implementing demographic measures, and creating conditions for affordable housing for young people and their families.

Record Tourism Revenue

The Prime Minister also highlighted the latest data on tourism revenue, which reached €13.2 billion in the first nine months of last year—€1.9 billion more than in the same period of 2023. He described this as encouraging in the context of the anticipated figures for the entire year.

Doubling the Minimum Wage

He recalled that the minimum wage has doubled during his government’s term.

“As of yesterday, the minimum gross salary is €970, thanks to compensatory measures provided by the government. The minimum student hourly wage has increased by 15%, from €5.25 to €6.06. As part of tax reforms, by raising the basic personal allowance to €6, we are reducing the upper thresholds for applying lower and higher income tax rates, which directly leads to higher salaries for all citizens,” Plenković stated, adding that numerous social benefits will also be increased.