Krapinsko-zagorska County leads in healthcare spending

Krapinsko-zagorska County recorded the highest proportion of healthcare spending in its budget last year, also leading in healthcare expenditure per capita. Despite the transfer of ownership of general and county hospitals to the state on January 1, 2024, the county continues to invest in staff education and equipment.

County Prefect Željko Kolar has been a critic of the state's takeover of hospital ownership, initiating a constitutional challenge against the move. While the government maintains the reform aims for efficiency, the Croatian healthcare system ended 2025 with a deficit, and hospital debts continue to rise. Approximately 95 percent of this debt is attributed to hospitals that incurred deficits exceeding 300 million euros.