Business

ZAGREB, April 14, 2020 - House prices in Croatia in 2019 were on average nine percent higher than in 2018, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (DZS) shows. Prices of new-builds rose by 8.3% on average, while prices of existing residential properties increased by 9.1%. House prices went up by 13.2% in Zagreb, 6.9% on the Adriatic coast and 3.8% elsewhere in the country. In the fourth quarter of 2019, prices of residential properties rose by 2.9% compared with the previous quarter and jumped by 10% compared with the last quarter of 2018. Prices of new-builds fell by 0.5%…

April 12, 2020 - While nobody now expects a strong Croatian tourism season, what is the actual situation with bookings. Glas Poduzetnik, the Voice of Entrepreneurs association presents its findings.  What can we expect from the tourist season 2020? A question for many in the tourism sector, but also for those who are not directly related to it, given there will be many indirect consequences. Following our survey on the usefulness and expectations that entrepreneurs (especially in the field of tourism) have from tourist boards, we were interested in further exploring this topic. Expectations for the season are undoubtedly poor,…

ZAGREB, April 12, 2020 - Global economy is slowing down, causing a drastic fall in prices of food on the global market, however, the trend has still not emerged on the Croatian market, shows an analysis by the Smarter consulting firm on the impact of the corona crisis on food price trends. Nevertheless, the analysis shows that consumers in Croatia are starting to spend more rationally, fearing for their household budget after an initial increase in demand caused by fear of shortages. Smarter notes that the latest data from the Market Information System in Agriculture (TISUP), which monitors price developments…

As Novac/Vedran Marjanovic writes on the 11th of April, 2020, despite the coronavirus pandemic, the Sava Bridge near Svilaj and the Croatia-Bosnia and Herzegovina border crossing are in the final stages of construction, the Ministry of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina announced. ''In the coming days, the testing of the bridge with a trial load, the drawing of horizontal signalling, technical inspections and the obtaining of a permit will follow,'' announced the aforementioned ministry, and their information is in accordance with plans that the bridge near Svilaj will be in use by the autumn of this year at…

ZAGREB, April 11, 2020 - Finance Minister Zdravko Marić said on Friday budget revenues in the first ten days of April were one-third of those at the same time last year and reiterated that at first Croatia would tap the domestic market to finance aid and deal with the fallout of the COVID-19 crisis. Speaking on the public broadcaster HTV, he said the general assessment was that the measures the government had taken so far to help the economy were satisfactory and that Croatia was near the top in the EU in terms of their GDP share. He said the…

ZAGREB, April 10, 2020 - Croatia's commodity exports reached HRK 18.1 billion in the first two months of 2020, up by 5.1% compared with the same period in 2019, while imports rose by 4% to HRK 29.7 billion, according to initial data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (DZS) on Friday. The foreign trade deficit in the first two months of this year was HRK 11.6 billion, or HRK 264.3 million higher than in the corresponding period last year. Coverage of imports by exports increased from 60.4% to 61%. Exports to EU member states rose by 2.2% to HRK…

ZAGREB, April 10, 2020 - The European Commission on Thursday approved a second Croatian scheme for support to the economic sector in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, and the total credit potential of the two schemes is €1.8 billion (more than HRK 13.5 billion), intended for the real sector. The schemes were approved on the basis of the Temporary Framework for State Aid Measures, adopted by the European Commission on March 19 and amended on April 3, the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development (HBOR) said in a statement. The first scheme, totalling €790 million (HRK 6 billion) and…

ZAGREB, April 9, 2020 - The Croatian Employers' Association (HUP) on Thursday welcomed the decision by the public broadcaster HRT to temporarily suspend subscription fees for all businesses ordered by the national civil protection authority to cease operating, calling for the decision to apply to all other entities affected by the present crisis. "We welcome the decision by the HRT director-general on the temporary suspension of the monthly subscription fee for all entities that ceased operating by order of the national civil protection authority. However, we have to point out that this decision does not apply to activities and businesses…

April 9, 2020 - HSLS president and Mayor of Bjelovar Dario Hrebak stressed the importance of not allowing the private sector to carry the weight of the crisis as was the case in recession, calling for solidarity. Commenting on Government measures, Hrebak expressed his belief that the measures will be effective, but stressed that more will be needed in the coming period. Hrebak pointed out that the crisis showed which parts of the public sector are essential and concluded that the Government should work towards transforming the bureaucratic apparatus into efficient administration. Social Liberal Party (HSLS) president and Mayor of Bjelovar…

Zagreb - April 9, 2020 - Glas Poduzetnika, the new Croatian association known as The Voice of Entrepreneurs, has announced its next steps.  After a few days from the foundation, the GLAS PODUZETNIKA Association received the decision of registration in the Register of Associations and can start with work. In the first period, the Association will focus on the remaining demands and implementation of existing measures "The Association is now registered, and applications are being reviewed so we can confirm the membership to all who applied, counting more than 4,000 people in the first five days. Our long-term goal is…