Croatia faces rising elderly poverty as pensioners return to work

In Croatia, approximately 40,800 pensioners are working part-time to supplement their income, as many find their pensions insufficient to cover living costs. An additional 3,000 retirees are employed full-time. While average pensions rose by 5.38 percent in July to approximately 711 euros, this remains significantly lower than averages in neighboring Slovenia and Austria.

Data indicates a growing risk of elderly poverty. According to the Croatian Bureau of Statistics, 39.4 percent of those over 65 face poverty risks, with the rate reaching over 64 percent for those living alone. The Croatian Retirees Union is calling for reforms to pension calculation and indexation to better keep pace with wage growth and inflation. The national ombudsman has noted that current measures, such as annual supplementary payments, have not been sufficiently targeted toward the most vulnerable seniors.