Croatia's Fina to provide free financial counseling

The Financial Agency (Fina) will begin offering free counseling services to citizens facing financial difficulties starting November 20. The service, implemented under the Consumer Credit Act, will be available at Fina branches throughout Croatia regardless of a person's place of residence.

The support is designed to be comprehensive and individualized, providing financial, legal, and psychological assistance. It is aimed at individuals struggling with loan repayments, unpaid bills, blocked accounts, or those facing debt enforcement (ovrha). The program also extends to citizens who do not yet have debts but fear imminent financial instability.

Advisors will analyze income, expenses, and debts to help create repayment plans and provide information on legal rights and communication with banks or other creditors. Depending on the complexity of the case, Fina may verify certain data from official records with the citizen's consent. The agency noted that this counseling does not guarantee the automatic cancellation of debts or the mandatory acceptance of new repayment plans by creditors.