October the 5th, 2022 - Croatia is entering the Eurozone during particularly difficult and turbulent times, following a global pandemic, and now during the Russia-Ukraine war which has resulted in spiralling inflation and an energy crisis, but what are the positives?

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, all Croatian kuna that people have at home will have to be exchanged for euros unless they want to keep hold of it for historical, nostalgic purposes (and I'm sure we'll all be keeping a coin or two). It's interesting to note that some of that money will be flowing into the purchase of real estate. Croatia's accession to the Eurozone, according to the Croatian National Bank (CNB), only partially caused huge growth in the property business.

''This boom in the market has been happening for the last few years, we've all been witnessing it, it isn't something that is exclusively related to Croatia joining the Eurozone, it's something that I'd primarily associate with the fact that we have lived for too many years in the zone of zero interest rates,'' said vice-governor Michael Foulend of the Croatian National Bank for HRT.

The double display of prices in both kuna and euros in stores should prevent additional price increases due to the rounding up of prices when Croatia does adopt the euro officially, but inflation is complicating everything.

''Having learned from the experience of other Eurozone countries, we don't expect that there will be more pressure due to the introduction of the euro here. What is inconvenient is that Croatia is in a period of very high inflation, so perhaps it creates the impression that everything is linked to the euro, but that isn't at all the case,'' stressed Zvonimir Savic, special adviser to the Prime Minister on economic issues.

Croatia is entering the Eurozone at a time of great geopolitical crisis, but this country's joining should actually provide many advantages.

''It is to be assumed that entering the Eurozone means greater financial stability, lower interest rates, more favourable conditional borrowing, even during crisis times, and we are and should be aware that this current crisis is geopolitical and has very serious economic implications - then you have an umbrella, some kind of shelter you can count on,'' pointed out Mladen Vedris from Effectus University.

''Within the Eurozone itself, there are some big differences between developed and less developed member states, but also between the political leadership of those countries, so it is particularly important that we navigate these waters skillfully and as strongly as possible in this currently turbulent sea,'' concluded Vedris.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated politics section.

September the 14th, 2022 - Croatian banks have sent out some important information to their customers and clients regarding Croatia's rapidly approaching accession to the Eurozone, which is set to take place on the very first day of 2023.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, PBZ sent its clients and customers a notice related to Croatia's upcoming introduction of the euro, in which they specify the essential elements for conversion that will be applied in the conversion of the Croatian kuna to the new single currency of the Eurozone.

"On the day of the introduction of the euro in Croatia, the bank will automatically and without charge carry out the conversion of funds held in Croatian kuna in bank accounts, deposits, loans and other financial statements of value at a fixed conversion rate of one euro = 7.53450 kuna,'' the bank stated.

''The conversion will be carried out by applying the rules for conversion and rounding in accordance with the Law on the Introduction of the Euro as the Official Currency in the Republic of Croatia. In addition to that, according to the principle of continuity of contracts and other legal instruments, the introduction of the euro will not affect the validity of existing contracts on loans, deposits and savings in kuna, etc., meaning that no new contracts need to be concluded. The goal is to carry out the process of introducing the euro and the activities resulting from it in such a way as to ensure the simplest possible treatment for everyone,'' it added.

The period of the obligation to display prices twice (in both Croatian kuna and euros) to consumers began on September the 5th, 2022 and ends twelve months after the introduction of the euro in Croatia.

Of the other Croatian banks which have sent out information on Croatian Eurozone accession to their clients, Zagrebacka banka made similar statements: "On the day of the introduction of the euro as the official currency of Croatia, monetary values ​​expressed in kuna on custodial and brokerage accounts will be converted into euros by applying the rules for conversion and rounding defined by the Law."

Erste Bank also informed its customers about the currency change, according to a report from N1.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

September the 6th, 2022 - Croatian public procurement issues and disputes will be settled solely in euros when we enter 2023, even if they were initially concluded and contracted in Croatian kuna.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marija Brnic writes, on the first day when officially all prices must be expressed in euros in addition to Croatian kuna, many were surprised that in the very recently announced tenders of state and public bodies and institutions, as well as companies, the highest prices willing to be paid for a particular job were not stated in the new currency (euros) at all.

In all contracts on the Electronic Croatian Public Procurement Bulletin, absolutely all the latest offers are displayed exclusively in kuna.

Evaluations carried out in euros

For the private sector, a large fine of up to 100,000 kuna is foreseen for non-compliance with the obligation to properly display prices in both kuna and euros until the end of 2022. What we're seeing with the failure to display prices in both euros and kuna in this sense is (rather surprisingly) nothing to do with the classic sluggishness of Croatian state bureaucracy, but about the use of an opportunity provided by legislation.

The so-called guideline for adjusting Croatian public procurement procedures to the process of replacing the Croatian kuna with the euro, which was prepared in July by the Directorate for Trade and Public Procurement Policy of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, discussed this in depth. That official document provides details on how the introduction of the euro will be treated in Croatian public procurement procedures, and the starting point is that in public procurement, there is actually no obligation to display prices in both kuna and euros.

This also applies to the preparatory period, which began on July the 15th 2022, as well as the dual pricing circulation period, which began on September the 5th.

Over the past month or two, some legal experts have pointed out to their clients the situation in which they may find themselves when engaged in these procedures, especially in cases where bids are submitted this year and evaluations are due to be performed only in 2023. They advised them to be guided by the official kuna-euro ratio immediately when forming their offers, regardless of whether the tender for a specific job provides for it or not.

As stipulated in the guidelines, in cases where the bids are submitted by December the 31st of this year, and the evaluation is carried out the following year, companies should display their prices in kuna amounts, and the evaluation will be performed in euros. This takes into account the fact that the conversion will take place automatically, at a fixed conversion rate, and in the full amount, not rounded to two decimal places, i.e. in the amount of 7.53450 kuna for one euro.

The guidelines specifically emphasise that the conversion of currencies must not under any circumstances result in an increase in the price or value of goods and services.

Concluded contracts in kuna

In all Croatian public procurement procedures started this year, for which the appeal procedures within the State Commission for the Control of Public Procurement Procedures are set to be resolved after the New Year, and the selected bidder is rejected, the most economically advantageous offer will have to be made solely in euros.

In Croatian public procurement cases initiated this year, but with their bid submission deadlines marked out in 2023, the value of the work will be assessed only in kuna, and the currency will be the euro during the selection process which follows. As far as already concluded contracts are concerned, for all issued purchase orders until the end of this year, invoices will need to be issued in kuna, and after that in euros.

For the executed parts of contracts this year, for which invoices were issued this year, but the company is set to pay it in 2023, they will be carried out in euros. For framework agreements of a longer duration, invoices will be issued in kuna until the end of the year, and thereafter in euros. After the New Year, the only currency for Croatian public procurement procedures of any type will be the euro.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated business section.

August the 29th, 2022 - Croatian Eurozone accession is just around the corner, with all requirements filled, all boxes ticked and the date for entry marked out for the 1st of January, 2023. The public is still divided on the issue, however, so what are some of the advantages and some of the risks and costs of Croatia finally becoming a Eurozone member?

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marina Marovic writes, here is no alternative to joining the Eurozone for Croatia, as it was part of the referendum the country held on joining the bloc. It did so back in July 2013 and according to experts, all the benefits of Croatian Eurozone accession greatly exceed the potential costs and risks. The Croatian economy has an extremely high degree of euroisation despite still using the kuna as it is tied to the euro, and around 70% of people's savings in Croatia are in the bloc's single currency.

Therefore, kuna devaluation is simply not an option, because the balance effect would be significantly more difficult for the Croatian economy to handle than any gains on the export front.

The biggest advantages of Croatian Eurozone accession

This high rate of Croatian euroisation originates from the time of the former state of Yugoslavia when, due to hyperinflation, the German mark was the currency used to preserve the value of money in the country. This means that regardless of Croatia having its very own currency for less than three decades, this sense of illusory monetary sovereignty will not actually be lost, but the risks involved in everything financial will be greatly reduced.

The absolute biggest advantage of Croatian Eurozone accession on January the 1st, 2023 comes in the form of significantly lower risks and reduced borrowing costs. In addition to the reduction in interest rates, which also maintains a better investment rating, additional borrowing will be made much easier because joining the Eurozone frees up significant funds (about 160 billion kuna in total) currently tied up as minimum foreign currency claims. In addition to that, the country's banks will reduce currency risks and improve overall stability.

In addition to lower interest rates and borrowing costs, Croatia will become more attractive for both investors and tourists (75 percent of them come from the Eurozone, and tourism makes up 20 percent of the nation's economic activity). Additionally, conversion costs for capital transactions such as the sale of property and land, the prices of which have been expressed in euros for a long time now, will be reduced.

Aside from property and other forms of real estate, renting an apartment or buying a car is also usually expressed in euros. By joining the Eurozone, Croatia is merely formalising some of the existing conventions. An additional advantage is that Croatia will be able to count on ECB support in case of any liquidity problems.

Croatian banks will lose out when it comes to conversion fees (about a fifth of their profit, or 1.5 billion kuna), and have additional ATM costs (totalling about 900 million kuna). Exchange offices will largely be out of business. The one-time cost of introducing the euro in Croatia will cost the banks an enormous 100 million kuna, and the cost of the entire adjustment will be paid for by other sectors of the economy, especially retail and telecoms. The average cost for large retail chains will stand at around 30 million euros, for telecoms it is around 20 million euros, and for smaller companies the cost of introducing the euro isn't expected to exceed 10,000 euros.

Uncertain times...

Croatian Eurozone accession is finally occurring in incredibly uncertain times in which it is really difficult to comply with all the requirements for convergence - known as the Maastricht criteria - and yet all the basic indicators were assessed as positive and successful in the latest report and decision back on July the 12th, 2022 The biggest risk is in the galloping rate of inflation.

Back in April 2022, the annual average rate of HICP inflation in Croatia stood at 4.7%, which is below the reference value of 4.9% for the price stability criterion. This value was decisive for the final decision on Eurozone accession in 2023. That said, by the time June rolled around, inflation crossed over into the concerning land of double digits, and the last July value of 12.3% was significantly higher than the average inflation in the Eurozone of 8.6%. The Baltic countries, all of which are now members of the Eurozone, have already registered inflations of more than 20%.

Just joining the euro brings a one-time increase in prices, but on average such an increase amounts to about 0.3% and in the context of current inflation is negligible. The dual display of prices (in both kuna and euros) serves to reduce this risk, and in general, the preparation for the introduction of the euro in Croatia is systematic and thorough, so that these risks are minimal.

In the long term, one would expect convergence of both prices and real income, but in practice there are many other factors that influence whether this actually happens or not. In addition to inflation - foreign exchange markets have experienced tectonic shifts. Croatia is now joining the club of prestigious countries when the euro is at its worst so far - and is at parity with the dollar, which has not happened in the last 20 years. There are several reasons for a strong dollar and a weak euro, but the most important one lies in the fact that the ECB is reluctant to raise interest rates.

The reason for the ECB's lack of reaction is multifaceted, but the fact is that inflation in the EU hasn't been caused by an increase in demand, but rather by an increase in energy and food prices. On the other hand, inflation across the pond in the United States of America is more a consequence of the post-pandemic recovery of the economy than anything else.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated politics section.

August the 28th, 2022 - Croatian business entities are now intensively preparing for the country's Eurozone accession, which is now very rapidly approaching. All wages which would have otherwise been paid out in Croatian kuna for the month of December 2022, will be paid out in January 2023 in the new currency - euros.

As Novac/Gordana Galovic/Jutarnji list writes, due to the upcoming introduction of the euro, Croatian business entities are undergoing the demanding process of adjusting their accounting processes, preparing financial statements, paying out wages, reporting taxes and other similar activities in euros. According to data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), at the end of June 2022, there were 316,052 registered business entities operating in Croatia, of which 56 percent or 176,882 are active.

Most commercial companies, 141,743 of them to be more precise, are active, and 93,393 are trades and the like. The main cost for everyone is the adjustment of IT and accounting systems.

Invoices, wages and payment slips, giro account statements, delivery notes, purchase orders, receipts and other accounting documents on the basis of which business events are entered in the business books must be expressed in the official currency of whatever country they're being carried out in. This means that companies report them in kuna until December the 31st of this year, and after January the 1st, 2023, this will all be done exclusively in euros. Invoices and other accounting documents dated before and on December the 31st, 2022, which companies will issue after January the 1st, 2023, regardless of whether they contain dual amounts in kuna and euro, must be issued in euros.

Croatian business entities will pay all of their outgoings in euros from January the 1st, 2023 onwards. Only during the period of dual circulation, i.e. the first fourteen days of January 2023, can cash kuna be used as legal tender when paying in cash. If something is paid cashless, from January the 1st, 2023, it will be automatically paid in euros because the amounts on deposit, savings and transaction accounts, other payment accounts, payment instruments and other records will be converted from kuna to euros without any charge, with the application of a fixed conversion rate and in accordance with the rules for conversion and rounding.

Companies will need report their profit tax returns, as well as their income tax returns for 2022, but submitted in 2023, in kuna. An exception is for corporate tax payers whose tax period begins before the introduction of the euro and ends after the day of the introduction of the euro, they may submit their corporate tax return for that tax period in euros.

When it comes to companies that are obliged to submit annual financial statements, all those whose business year is equal to the calendar year will need to prepare and submit annual financial statements for 2022 in kuna.

If Croatian business entities receive an invoice after closing the business year for the previous period, it must be in euros. The exception is companies whose business year is different from the calendar year. If the last day of their financial year is after the day of the introduction of the euro, they must state all of their data for the previous business year in their financial statements in euros.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

August the 3rd, 2022 - Are Croatian exchange offices doomed to failure as Croatian Eurozone accession rapidly approaches, and with the sending of the kuna to the history books set to take place on the 1st of January, 2023?

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, six hundred kuna for one hundred euros has become a common amount that is obtained when exchanging these currencies during the height of the summer tourist season when you have to convert money at local Croatian exchange offices. That is all due to alter with the arrival of the euro as the country's official currency, and the need for Croatian exchange offices to exist at all will be greatly reduced. Many will close their doors and never open them again, reports HRT.

If you ask the tourists spending time (and money) here in Croatia themselves, everything is very clear and simple, adopting the bloc's single currency is a good move for Croatia. But when it comes to Croatian exchange offices, most of them anyway, they'll have to think about another business model entirely if they want to survive the introduction of the euro from the first of January next year.

"It will be difficult for Croatian exchange offices who will continue to try to work only in the foreign currency exchange business to survive because 80, 90 percent of the turnover takes place around the purchase and sale of euros, and without this turnover it will be difficult for them to survive," warned Sergi Gabor, president of the Association of Croatian Exchangers.

Financial experts have hope and believe that most Croatian exchange offices can be transformed and remain in business when the changeover happens, and that not all of them will be closed due to the demand for digital money, as well as savings and exchanges being done in other currencies.

"Perhaps there will be a continuation of turbulent economic trends at the level of Europe or the world, and in that case it will be possible that in Croatian exchange offices, there will be a tendency for people to be dealing with other currencies such as the Swiss franc or the US dollar,'' believes Hrvoje Japuncic, a financial expert.

For more on Croatian Eurozone accession, make sure to check out our dedicated politics section.

ZAGREB, 25 June 2022 - Slovenia's President Borut Pahor said on Saturday that the most difficult decision which he had made in his political career had been to block Croatia's EU accession negotiations in his capacity as Prime Minister in 2008.

"Blocking Croatia was my most difficult political decision," Pahor told the Slovenian national broadcaster in his interview on the occasion of Slovenia's Statehood Day, observed on 25 June.

In December 2008, the Pahor cabinet vetoed the opening of new policy chapters in Croatia's EU accession negotiations over the border dispute between the two neighbouring countries.

The blockade was lifted only after Croatia's government led by Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor acceded to Slovenia's request to sign an arbitration agreement in late 2009.

Slovenia joined the EU in 2004, and Croatia in mid-2013.

In 2017, Croatia's government and parliament decided on withdrawing from the arbitration procedure after it was compromised by some of the Slovenian protagonists in the process.

Pahor's second presidential terms expires this year.

June the 25th, 2022 - For many Croatian exchange offices, this summer season will be their last. Croatia's Eurozone entry is set to take place at the very beginning of next year, and for a number of offices, the doors are being well and truly locked.

As Jadranka Dozan/Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the beginning of summer and the height of the tourist season is also the usual time of the "main harvest" for Croatian exchange offices, with the biggest turnovers in that niche market occuring during the months of July and August.

Last year, almost a third of the total annual turnover of authorised Croatian exchange offices was realised solely during those two summer months, and from the beginning of June to the end of September, 50 percent of the year-round turnover took place.

For many Croatian exchange offices, especially those for which these jobs aren't just a "side" activity, this summer, given the introduction of the euro at the beginning of next year, could be the last in which they remain in business.

According to the annual report of the Croatian National Bank (CNB) published this week, about 850 authorised Croatian exchange offices were active across the country at the end of last year, with a slightly higher number of them holding CNB licenses, a total of 1,146 of them.

Those who provided foreign currency trade services throughout the year or seasonally did so through approximately 3,500 Croatian exchange offices, where they traded a total of 31 currencies. However, out of 25.1 billion kuna in annual turnover (of which 18 billion kuna refers to purchases), more than 87 percent or 21.7 billion kuna was realised in euros (15 billion kuna through purchases, and the rest through the sale of euros). The majority of the remaining turnover refers to the US dollar (5.6%) and the Swiss franc (4.7% of the turnover).

Compared to pandemic-dominated 2020, last year's turnover within Croatian exchange offices increased primarily due to the recovery of the travel and tourism industry, by about 30 percent or almost six billion kuna. The first four months of this year also brought year-round traffic growth to offices.

According to the CNB, by the end of April, exchange offices across the country had generated a massive 6.73 billion kuna, compared to less than 5 billion kuna in the same period last year.

Authorised Croatian exchange offices achieved a record turnover back in 2017 (30.2 billion kuna), although in the meantime the inflows of tourist foreign currency grew. For example, in the record year of 2019, exchange offices made less than 30 billion kuna worth of foreign cash exchanges.

To a large extent, the explanation lies in the growing trend of non-cash payment transactions. By accepting foreign payment cards (cards issued outside of the borders of this country), transactions worth 20.8 billion kuna were realised last year.

Compared to the first year of the pandemic, 2020, it's equal to twice as much, compared to pre-pandemic 2019, not even four percent less, and compared to the exchange record in 2017, the value of transactions with foreign payment cards performed in Croatia last year was about 4.5 billion kuna higher.

There is no doubt that with the introduction of the euro in 2023, the number of CNB licenses for these jobs will fall even further. Most of the approximately (seasonally or year-round) 850 active Croatian exchange offices also perform other activities and currency exchange operations aren't their main activity.

The CNB estimates that they are the core business for approximately 200 legal entities, which in turn provide these services at approximately 400 exchange offices. It is also estimated that they employ between 600 and 800 employees.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated business section.

June the 18th, 2022 - Croatian MP Miro Bulj has boldly claimed that there could be no worse time possible for Croatian Eurozone accession, for which it has had the green light and into which it will enter on the 1st of January 2023, replacing the kuna with the euro.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, Croatian MP Miro Bulj (MOST) spoke recently with N1 television about possible changes to the Law on Referendums. He says that MOST is against the way of defining which topics could be decided in a referendum. Bulj also believes that the imminent introduction of the euro couldn't be possibly coming at a worse time.

"In the sense of defining the topics [which could be decided in a referendum[, what they did with the constitutional referendum for which we collected 400 thousand signatures, is more than sad. We'll oppose it. We can change it to make it easier to collect signatures, not to limit them in advance and define the appropriate topics. We know that the Constitutional Court is under the control of HDZ, that these are the Godfathers and that it's a purely political body. That body is meaningless. We strongly oppose this and we will monitor how other political options will behave,'' warned Bulj, talking about the amendments to the Law on Referendums.

Croatian MP Miro Bulj also said that the HDZ had enjoyed great levels of support from other political parties when it came to the epidemiological measures introduced in the fight against the spread of the novel coronavirus, which had a hugely negative impact on the economy.

"It doesn't mean anything to them that we have more voters than we have residents, it's a disastrous proposal. This is a blow to the foundation of and the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia,'' believes Bulj.

"Where does one get the right to say that the constitutional changes for which MOST collected signatures aren't constitutional? They can't say what the people think about the Constitution. It was the same with the definition of marriage. This is a direct interference of HDZ and the Constitutional Court in the interest of Andrej Plenkovic, who has also taken over the judicial system. This isn't something new, it's a blow to democracy, it's shameful act and an anti-national blow to the Constitution,'' said Croatian MP Miro Bulj.

Bulj's beliefs on Croatian Eurozone accession

"It couldn't possibly be coming at a worse moment," Bulj said when asked if it was the right time to send the kuna to the history books and introduce the new currency, adding that we need to be taking care of our natural resources and as such, our farmers.

"We must help our farmers during these difficult times, not be spending our time on preparing to introduce the euro. It's clear to Finance Minister Zdravko Maric how much inflation will rise to and what will happen, but it's more important to listen to Brussels than the interest of the Croatian people. They've played games and it's obviously more important to Plenkovic to be the one to introduce the euro than listen to the interest of the people. Nobody knows what will happen when the euro is introduced,'' concluded Croatian MP Miro Bulj.

For more, check out our dedicated politics section.

June the 9th, 2022 - Croatian MEP Biljana Borzan has made the claim that the Croatian Government is actually lobbying against the reduction of harmful pesticides in the Belgian capital of Brussels, adding that she has been shocked by it.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the Croatian Government, more precisely the Ministry of Agriculture, is allegedly directly lobbying in Brussels for the European Union (EU) to abandon the binding goals of reducing the use of chemical pesticides in food production. This is part of a letter sent on March the 16th, 2022, to the European Council, which, among others, is apparently signed by the Croatian Government.

The letter is in the possession of Croatian MEP Biljana Borzan, who, as the Eurosocialist rapporteur for the ''Field to Table'' strategy, is committed to reducing the use of chemical pesticides.

"I'm shocked and angry, on whose behalf is the Croatian Government lobbying against pesticide reduction?! On behalf of the citizens of Croatia, who are probably satisfied that bees are dying out and that traces of pesticides are ubiquitous on our food? I'd like to call on the Minister to comment on this situation and explain to the public why it isn't in their interest for food to be sprayed less with chemicals!'' MEP Biljana Borzan demanded.

The letter, allegedly signed by the Republic of Croatia and eleven other EU member states, disagrees with the bloc's overall goal of halving the use of chemical pesticides by the year 2030 through the ''Field to Table'' strategy.

In particular, they oppose the new law on the sustainable use of pesticides, which the European Commission (EC) is due to present on June the 22nd, 2022, and which Croatian MEP Biljana Borzan recently warned was in question due to fierce lobbying.

"It turns out that the Croatian Ministry of Agriculture is lobbying against environmental goals in Brussels, and at the same time, in Croatia, they're making life difficult for organic food producers by reducing subsidies and employing absurd regulations. When did we as a state decide to head in that direction? When the Parliament debated this, did the citizens vote for it? I recently conducted a public opinion poll on this topic and as many as 91 percent of respondents said they support reducing the use of pesticides, which shows that citizens' awareness of their impact on health and the environment is high,'' concluded Borzan on the matter.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated politics section.