Croatia's Courts Reduce Backlog, But Cases Take Longer to Resolve

The Croatian judiciary continues to grapple with a persistent challenge: while the number of pending cases has decreased, the time it takes to resolve them has increased. This trend, highlighted in the annual report on the state of the Croatian judiciary, paints a complex picture of efficiency and delay.

In 2025, Croatian courts managed to close more cases than they opened, a positive development that reduced the backlog from 445,978 to 400,023 unresolved cases. This 10.3% decrease is a testament to the efforts of the 1674 judges and 7,906 judicial staff working across all levels of the court system. However, this achievement is tempered by the fact that the overall length of proceedings has grown.

The report, authored by Supreme Court President Gordana Jalšovečki, also notes a continued decline in the number of new cases filed, down 11% from 2024 to 1,144,248. While this might seem like a reprieve, the sheer volume of cases, regardless of complexity, remains a significant burden. Furthermore, the report points to an aging judiciary and a slight decrease in support staff, factors that could impact future performance.

From a Croatian perspective, these statistics underscore the ongoing need for judicial reform. While international observers might focus on the headline figure of reduced backlogs, the reality on the ground for citizens experiencing lengthy trials is a different story. The challenge lies in balancing the clearance of old cases with the efficiency of new ones, ensuring that justice is not only served but also delivered in a timely manner. This is a crucial issue for public trust in the legal system, a sentiment often discussed with more urgency domestically than it might be internationally.