Croatian police face potential personnel crisis, union warns

Croatian police personnel crisis MUP union law enforcement staffing Split-Dalmatia Police Administration

The General Union of the Ministry of the Interior (MUP) has issued a warning regarding a potential personnel crisis within the Croatian police force. Union President Tomislav Teri emphasized that the issue is not merely about the ratio of new hires to departures, but the systemic inability to retain experienced officers.

According to data from the Split-Dalmatia Police Administration, between 2024 and 2026, 166 officers left the service while 188 new personnel were hired. Despite this net increase, the administration currently has only 89 percent of its systematized positions filled. The Ministry of the Interior noted that retirement remains the most common reason for officers leaving their posts.

The union cites several factors driving departures across the national system, including low salaries, lack of competitiveness in the labor market, excessive workloads, and poor working conditions. Teri noted that chronic staffing shortages lead to increased overtime and difficulty for officers to maintain a private life.

Entities

Croatia · General Union of the Ministry of the Interior · Ministry of the Interior · Split-Dalmatia Police Administration · Tomislav Teri

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 3 SOURCES] The Ministry of the Interior states that retirement is the most frequent reason for officers leaving service. www.jutarnji.hr · www.telegram.hr · vijesti.hrt.hr
[● 3 SOURCES] The General Union of the MUP warns of a serious personnel crisis and the inability to retain experienced staff. www.jutarnji.hr · www.telegram.hr · vijesti.hrt.hr
[● 3 SOURCES] The Split-Dalmatia Police Administration currently has 89 percent of its systematized positions filled. www.jutarnji.hr · www.telegram.hr · vijesti.hrt.hr
[● 3 SOURCES] In the Split-Dalmatia Police Administration, 166 officers left service and 188 were hired between 2024 and 2026. www.jutarnji.hr · www.telegram.hr · vijesti.hrt.hr
[● 3 SOURCES] Tomislav Teri identifies low salaries, labor market uncompetitiveness, workload, and poor working conditions as primary reasons for departures. www.jutarnji.hr · www.telegram.hr · vijesti.hrt.hr

Sources

Do 800 policajaca godišnje napusti službu, a novi kadrovi ne rješavaju problem zadržavanja [glas-slavonije.hr]

15 days ago

Hrvatskoj policiji prijeti kadrovska kriza, sindikat upozorava na odlazak iskusnih policajaca [zadarskilist.novilist.hr]

15 days ago

Sindikat upozorava: Hrvatskoj policiji prijeti ozbiljna kadrovska kriza [www.jutarnji.hr]

16 days ago

Opći sindikat MUP-a upozorava na odlazak policajaca: 'Prijeti nam ozbiljna kadrovska kriza' [www.telegram.hr]

16 days ago

Opći sindikat MUP-a upozorava na odlazak policajaca [vijesti.hrt.hr]

16 days ago