Croatia and Bosnia introduce incentives to lift birth rates

In Croatia, the number of live births rose to 32,479 in 2025, an increase of 410 over the previous year. Virovitičko‑podravska County recorded a 4.37 % rise to 549 births, placing it among the country’s top five counties for birth growth and reducing its negative natural population change by 130 persons. The county is also launching a housing programme that will add a 39‑unit apartment block in Virovitica, with 80 % of the units already reserved for young families. Zadar city posted 662 births in 2025, ranking it among the top five Croatian cities, while Zagreb led with 7,036 births.

Separately, Bosnia and Herzegovina announced a new family‑support measure: the state will co‑finance up to €15,000 for families with four or more children to purchase a new or used car. The programme was presented by Minister Ivan Šipić of the Ministry of Demography and Settlement.