Nearly 40% of pensioners in Croatia are at risk of poverty, while almost one in five residents faces the same problem, according to figures cited from the Croatian Bureau of Statistics. Rising living costs are also increasing demand for public soup kitchens.
The figures highlight the financial difficulties facing older people in Croatia, particularly those who rely on pensions to cover everyday expenses.
Višnja Stanišić, president of the Croatian Pensioners’ Union, raised concerns about pensioners’ living standards ahead of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
She told Croatian media outlet Dnevnik that many retirees cannot afford what she considers a dignified life.
Croatian Pensioners Struggle With Rising Living Costs
Stanišić argued that people who have worked for four decades should be able to enjoy a reasonable standard of living after retirement.
She said pensioners should have enough money for basic expenses and occasional leisure activities, including visits to the theater or cinema.
“I believe that a dignified life means that someone who has worked for 40 years can live normally after retirement,” she said.
Her comments come as Croatia continues to face rising consumer prices.
According to the report, annual inflation reached 4.7% in September, marking the second consecutive month of accelerating inflation.
However, Stanišić warned that official inflation figures do not fully reflect the financial pressure on pensioners.
Food Prices Put Additional Pressure on Household Budgets
Stanišić explained that pensioners spend much of their income on a relatively small number of essential products.
She said prices for some of those products have increased much faster than the overall inflation rate.
“Every pensioner has their own inflation,” she said, explaining that individual spending habits determine how strongly price increases affect household budgets.
According to Stanišić, some essential products have become approximately 10% more expensive.
The rising cost of everyday necessities leaves pensioners with less money for other expenses.
The report also points to growing demand for public soup kitchens as more residents struggle to afford food.
With nearly two in five pensioners facing the risk of poverty, Croatia’s retirement income and cost-of-living pressures remain major social concerns.
