Croatia's retirees face poverty as officials call for stronger age‑rights protections

In Croatia, more than one‑third of pensioners are living in poverty, according to the Party of Pensioners (SU). The party is urging the government to adopt a new Law on Older Persons, establish a dedicated ombudsman for senior citizens, and enforce the Declaration on Older Persons. It calls on Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Minister Alen Ružić to ensure that the upcoming legislation includes clear sanctions for violations of seniors' rights and improves access to affordable long‑term care, citing an OECD report that highlights Croatia’s low coverage of social support for the elderly.

Separately, Serbian Equality Commissioner Milan Antonijević warned that age‑based discrimination is expressly prohibited by law and stressed that older citizens have the same right to dignity, respect and free expression as all other groups. He urged media and public figures to avoid stigmatizing narratives following a study on pensioners’ voting preferences, noting that freedom of expression does not cover hate speech or incitement against any social group.