Croatia braces for lower EU farm funding and worsening regional inequality

Croatian social‑democratic politicians warned that the Osijek‑Baranja County continues to lag behind on key socioeconomic indicators such as average wages, pensions and overall economic development. Parliamentary representative Ivana Ribarić Majanović criticised a draft amendment to the Hunting Law, saying it would shift the cost of wildlife damage onto farmers and drivers, while Sanja Bježančević highlighted that the county receives less than one‑percent of its budget for agriculture despite the sector’s strategic importance.

At the same time, members of the Social Democratic Party in the European Parliament warned that Croatia will enter the EU's 2028‑2034 multi‑annual financial framework with significantly reduced funding. The country's overall allocation is expected to fall from about €25 billion to €18.5 billion, and the agricultural portion from €5 billion to €3.7 billion. Agricultural output has dropped 25 % since 2010, cultivated land has decreased by two million hectares compared with thirty years ago, and farm mechanisation is considered outdated, leaving small and medium farmers struggling with complex subsidy procedures.