Thousands of protests call for higher wages and pensions

Several thousands of people from throughout the country staged a large protest on Zagreb's central Ban Josip Jelačić Square on Saturday. Organized by three trade union federations and the Pensioners' Union, the protesters demanded higher wages and pensions. However, they also warned of problems that are stifling Croatian society; from rampant corruption and the grey economy, to overpriced food and housing.

Protesters noted that government's recent pay hikes for public sector employees hadn't even compensated for the rampant inflation, and that many are now forced to live off of savings. The president of the Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia, Mladen Novosel, openly accused the government and private sector employees of lying when they claim that they do not have the money to raise pensions and wages: “Mr. Plenković, just so you don't think we're being unreasonable, and that we're demanding this immediately, we're offering you a deal in two stages; at the end of this year, when the government sets the minimum wage for the next year, raise it by €250 gross, and then apply the same increase again the following year. That approach would bring wages closer to the level we are seeking.”

The president of the Croatian Pensioner's Union, Višnja Stanišić, called for pensions to be raised by €100 to €200 this year, and by €200 to €300 in 2027: “We will not stay silent, we will fight. I think we've all had enough of them stealing from us, lying to us, cheating us, and serving us platitudes that we are living in prosperity.”

The president of the Croatian Teacher's Union, Sanja Šprem, noted that workers have been robbed of any sense of security and dignity: “In the end it is us who pay the price for their corruption. We pay for it in wait times at hospitals, we pay for it through the departure of our youth, and we pay for in when justice isn't applied equally to everyone.”

In response to today's protest, the Science, Education and Youth Ministry issued a statement in which it noted that there is no reason to protest, claiming that salaries in the education sector have increased by more than one hundred percent since 2016. Here's an excerpt from the ministry's statement:

"Given the steps taken over the past decade to improve both the material and overall status of education employees, we see no grounds for a union protest. Salaries in the sector have more than doubled since 2016, and no previous government has done as much to raise teachers' pay. Even when accounting for inflation, the increase remains substantial. From 2019 to January 2025, cumulative inflation stood at 28.1%, while teachers' salaries rose by 67% over the same period - indicating a significant real gain."

The statement also noted that this year the base for calculating salaries in public services will increase by an additional 3%.

Source: HRT