High Fitch Rating confirms Croatia as “reliable investment destination”

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March 9, 2026

Croatia’s reputation as a stable and reliable destination for investment has been reinforced after Fitch Ratings confirmed the country’s A- credit rating with a stable outlook in its latest report, the Croatian government reported.

The rating from one of the world’s leading credit agencies highlights Croatia’s strong economic performance, responsible fiscal policy and the advantages gained from membership of the European Union and the eurozone.

According to the report, Croatia’s economy continues to perform strongly, with real GDP growth projected at 3.2% in 2025. This rate remains above the average growth recorded across both the EU and the eurozone, reflecting robust economic momentum.

Fitch also pointed to the government’s commitment to maintaining public finances under control, with plans to keep the budget deficit below 3% of GDP.

Croatia has also made significant progress in reducing its public debt. The debt-to-GDP ratio has fallen to around 56%, a drop of roughly 30 percentage points compared with 2020 and close to the average for countries in the A credit rating category.

The agency emphasised that Croatia’s EU and eurozone membership continues to strengthen the country’s financial stability and investor confidence.

Government policy frameworks that leverage EU membership, combined with sustained economic growth and fiscal discipline, were cited as key reasons behind the rating confirmation.

Prime Minister: Croatia seen as politically and economically stable

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković welcomed the report, saying it confirms that international rating agencies view Croatia as a politically and economically stable country.

“In the context of numerous geopolitical challenges, this report once again confirms that international credit rating agencies consider Croatia a stable state and a reliable place for investment,” Plenković said.

He added that the government will continue to focus on strong economic growth, responsible management of public finances and efficient use of EU funds, with the aim of helping Croatia catch up with more developed EU member states.

“Our fundamental priority remains improving the quality of life for citizens and strengthening the competitiveness of the Croatian economy,” he said.

EU recovery funds driving reforms and investment

Croatia has also benefited significantly from the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility, implemented through the country’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan.

So far, Croatia has received €6.4 billion, representing around 64% of its total allocation, and remains on track to absorb all available funds by the end of 2026.

These funds are supporting a wide range of reforms and investment projects, contributing to continued economic growth and strengthening the country’s long-term development prospects.

Positive signal for investors

Fitch’s confirmation of the A- rating sends a positive signal to international markets, reinforcing Croatia’s image as a stable and increasingly competitive economy within the European Union.

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https://www.croatiaweek.com

Split bridge design contract awarded

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March 7, 2026

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A competition to select a conceptual designer for a bridge between Split and Kaštela has been won by a collaboration between Studio 3LHD of Zagreb and Slovenian company Pipenbaher inženirji.

Hrvatske Ceste, the Croatian roads agency, said that there were twelve anonymous entries. A jury then decided the winner of the US$69,000 prize.

The bridge will create a more direct connection between Split and the suburb of Kaštela. It will carry four lanes of traffic, as well as pedestrians and cyclists. The structure will have sufficient clearance for marine traffic using the port terminals.

The estimated construction cost of the chosen design will be US$258 million. The range of costs for all the competition entries was between US$188 million and US$521 million.

Hrvatske Ceste is not sharing concept drawings yet, but proposals included various different kinds of structure. The judging panel was impressed by the winning entry because of its structural rationality, the design quality and the way it integrated the coastal landscape.

The contract for building the bridge was awarded to China Bridge and Road Corporation in 2023

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The feast of St. Joseph

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March 3, 2026

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Days of pride and togetherness are ahead of us, a time when we remember the achievements of the past, recognize deserving individuals and collectives, and celebrate what makes us special: our heritage, tradition, and love for Vela Luka.

The following program brings a series of cultural, educational, and sporting events, as well as moments filled with a festive atmosphere and shared joy…

Minister Branko Bačić on working visit to Korčula

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March 3, 2026

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Today Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Branko Bačić visited the island of Korčula. During his visit, he toured the site of the reconstruction project of the western access road to Blato and participated in the opening ceremony of the Lokva civic amenity site.

He emphasised substantial investment in Croatian islands, particularly considering the fact that every fifth overnight stay in Croatia takes places precisely on islands, which thus largely contributes to overall economic development of the country.

Minister Bačić started the visit by touring the site of the reconstruction project of the western access road to Blato, where he was joined by Dubrovnik-Neretva County Prefect Blaž Pezo and Blato Municipality Prefect Jurica Petković. The project was financed by Dubrovnik-Neretva County, County Road Administration, and the first stage of development of the western entrance into Blato is currently in progress. The current project stage is worth 540,000 euro.

“Only a few hundred metres from here a separate access road as part of the road towards Smokvica will be constructed. The state has recognised the importance of transport and port infrastructure projects, and precisely Dubrovnik-Neretva County is one of the counties that participate the most in constructing port infrastructure,” Minister Bačić said, adding that this project is part of a “Croatian coast renaissance”. The first stage is expected to be completed in May.

“This is an important section for Blato Municipality because it represents an entrance to a settlement. In the future, I hope we will have a safer entrance for our citizens and surely a nicer entrance for all the tourists coming here, Municipality Prefect Petković said.

County Prefect Pezo pointed out the importance of listening to citizens’ needs at the local level and responding accordingly. He added that the County Road Administration works on a series of projects, one of which is connecting Metković and the zone before the motorway.

On the island of Korčula, according to Minister Bačić, a series of projects takes place – the passenger terminal in Vela Luka has been completed, the development of Polačište is in progress, the development of the Port of Prigradica has been put out to tender, and the contractor for the construction of the Port of Perna will be selected soon – which demonstrates the State’s dedication to island living conditions by raising the standards of transport and municipal infrastructure.

A working meeting took place on the premises of Blato Municipality. Apart from Minister Bačić, County Prefect Pezo and the host, Municipality Prefect Petković, the meeting was also attended by Deputy County Prefect Joško Cebalo, Head of Administrative Department for the Affairs of County Prefect and County Assembly Žaklina Marević, Director of County Road Administration of Dubrovnik-Neretva County Ivo Kaštelan and Director of Dubrovnik Roads Roberto Krile.

Lokva civic amenity site opened

Minister Bačić then participated at the opening ceremony of the Lokva civic amenity site, together with County Prefect Pezo and Mayor of the City of Korčula Frano Jeričević.

“Starting from 7 a.m. tomorrow morning, the citizens of Korčula can start using the civic amenity site. I believe this project will improve the quality of life of our fellow citizens. I am confident that the days of illegal dumping sites and landfills are now over,” Mayor Jeričević said.

The project is worth 1.353 million euro, and the Government of the Republic of Croatia secured 770,000 euro from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan through the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development. Residents can use the civic amenity site free of charge.

“The opening of this civic amenity site contributes to infrastructural development on islands. By the end of 2030, we will establish a number of waste management centres, in order not only to preserve the environment, without which there is no tourism or local life development, but also to turn waste into raw materials,” Minister Bačić said. County Prefect Pezo emphasised that opening the waste management centre will be the final step in establishing an efficient waste management system in the county.

“Before we open it, it is important to establish waste separation and sorting in local self-government units, in facilities such as civic amenity sites and transfer stations. Regarding waste management centres, we have held several meetings with the contractor, the documentation for the fourth stage has been submitted, and once we obtain the permit, we will have more insight into the completion deadline of the centre,” the County Prefect said.

Balanced development and investment in islands

Investments being carried out on islands, from wastewater agglomeration and water supply to similar projects, raise the living standards which are, above all, important for residents, Minister Bačić pointed out.

“It is particularly important that we have secured funding for integrated island development through numerous projects. In Dubrovnik-Neretva County we allocate 28 million euro through the Islands Programme for projects contributing to developing social and municipal infrastructure. Year after year, we are increasing financial investment to implement projects important for citizens’ lives,” the Minister said, adding that small-scale municipal projects, which directly touch people’s everyday lives, are equally important.

Accordingly, the Government also discussed the report on the implementation of the Islands Act, which determines that “large, substantial funding is used for Croatian islands. The islands deserve such funding considering their contribution to Croatia’s development. As you know, every fifth overnight stay in Croatia takes place on Croatian islands, every fifth tourist is on Croatian islands.

Therefore – by investing into islands, we invest into Croatia’s economic development,” the Minister explained. He announced that a meeting on the construction of a motorway to Dubrovnik and a highway from Dubrovnik to the airport of Čilipi and towards the border with Crna Gora will take place soon. More

https://mpgi.gov.hr