Croatia boosts 2027 budget spending and reallocates 2026 gambling revenues

Finance Minister Tomislav Ćorić announced that the 2027 state budget will rise by €821.4 million to €31.3 billion, a 2.7 % increase over 2026. The plan also projects expenses of €32.1 billion for 2028 and €32.9 billion for 2029, with additional funds earmarked for pensions, public‑sector wages, infrastructure, defence modernization, rail, housing and full‑day schooling.

Separately, the government approved a new distribution model for the record €214 million expected from gambling revenues in 2026. The largest share, 36.76 %, remains for sport, while new allocations direct 4.91 % to demographic revitalisation and 4.08 % to psychosocial support for veterans of the Homeland War. Funding for culture, humanitarian and social programmes is reduced, with culture receiving 12.41 % and human‑social programmes 7.73 % of the total.