Opposition politicians blame government for depopulation trend

Opposition politicians are blaming the government and its policies for the massive population decline Croatia has experienced since 2011 that was recorded by the latest census.

Preliminary data from the 2021 census released on Friday showed Croatia’s population had shrunk by nearly 400 thousand inhabitants.

Vukovar Mayor Ivan Penava and Defense Minister Mario Banožić both commented on the news in Vukovar on Saturday during events marking the 24th anniversary of the peaceful reintegration of the Danube Region.

"The census should not have surprised anyone. We lost 400 thousand people in 10 years. Some of us have been saying for the past decade that we are headed for disaster. Sadly, we are already there," Penava said, adding “It can be summed up in one sentence: This is the most corrupt government the country has ever seen.”

Penava was the president of the local branch of the HDZ in Vukovar from 2014 to May of 2020, when he ran as an independent in the local elections before joining the Homeland Movement.

Defense Minister Mario Banožić did accept some of the blame for the negative trends but framed it as a failure of politics in general.

"Here in Vukovar you can see how many young people lost their lives and they and those who would have been their descendants were unable to take part in Croatia's development. Of course this should be viewed within a political context of accountability by all of us who decided to actively participate in politics. We need to do more and work harder not only on getting the people who left to return but also to encourage larger those who are here to have larger families,” Banožić said.

SDP leader Peđa Grbin also commented on the census results during a visit to Vukovar on Saturday. He underscored that counties in Slavonia had experienced the largest population declines. He blames government's special policy for the region and says the only effective measure to bolster the population is good leadership.

"Croatia has not managed to provide all of its citizens the kind of life that does not drive them away from home. Croatia has not managed to create jobs for people from which they can earn a decent living. When I listen to many people speak about special demographic measures, especially for Vukovar-Srijem County, and offering people 200 thousand kuna to return, that's just nonsense!" Grbin said.

In an interview with HRT aired on Saturday, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said his government was doing the best it could to help young people build careers and families in Croatia.

"We have provided young people with special housing loans. We have invested in STEM and other professional scholarships. We’ve invested in student dormitories and made it possible for people under 25 not to have to pay income tax and that those under 30 pay only half. We've introduced a series of measures that aim to help young families get on their feet and make their lives a bit easier and less costly," the PM said.