We collected data from all counties: 300 more bureaucrats in three years

Croatia has seen a significant increase in public administration staff across its counties over the past three years. Data collected from 20 counties reveals that the number of civil servants, employees, and officials rose from 4,404 in 2023 to 4,699 in 2026, marking an increase of nearly 300 individuals.

This administrative expansion has occurred even as Croatia's population has been declining. Estimates suggest the country's population has fallen by approximately 37,000 to 75,000 people in the same three-year period, according to various sources including Worldometer and the Croatian Bureau of Statistics.

Dr. sc. Dubravka Jurlina Alibegović from the Zagreb Economic Institute expressed concern that this employment growth is not aligned with the actual needs of the counties. She noted that new hires often follow local elections, contributing to the "bloating of administration."

The Splitsko-dalmatinska County recorded the largest increase in employees, with its offices and administration now employing 615 people, a number that continues to rise. This trend persists despite a decrease in the number of school classes and kindergarten groups, indicating a growing administrative burden relative to the population.

“

EMPLOYMENT IS NOT PROPORTIONAL TO NEEDS