The largest number of Croats are worried about their salary, rising inflation, and the increased arrival of migrants. At the same time, they think the state is most to blame for this, Jutarnji list wrote on Tuesday, citing the results of a recent survey.

They trust state institutions, the media, banks, and telecoms the least, and their hairdressers, pedicurists, and hospitality workers the most. Every second Croat is pessimistic: they think the situation in the coming years will be worse than it is now, with men leading in this. This was shown by the recent Nulti kvadrant survey on the attitudes, expectations, and fears of Croatian citizens at the end of 2023.

The survey was conducted by Ipsos for the communications agency Val grupa on a sample of 600 respondents aged 18 to 60. Otherwise, this is the fourth edition of Nulti kvadrant on the attitudes of Croats, and this year's result, as they state, showed “the most pessimistic annual optimism index since it has been measured”.

Specifically, citizens are predominantly troubled by economic concerns. As many as 92 percent of Croats say they have experienced a significant increase in all prices. Although inflation in Croatia slowed to 5.8 percent year-on-year in October, Croatia is still among the worst countries in the European Union in terms of inflation rates, and Croats feel this in their salaries.

Two thirds (69 percent) of them say they experienced a decline in purchasing power this year. And interestingly, this affects middle-class citizens with household incomes between 1329 and 2390 euros more. Namely, 75.3 percent of them, compared to 66.6 percent last year, now say they feel a decline in purchasing power. Women, respondents with completed primary and secondary school, and the unemployed worry more about this.

Women are also more concerned about the overall decline in living standards in society, as well as the decline in purchasing power. Still, most agree when asked who is to blame for this: half think it is the state (53.7 percent), and one fifth that it is external circumstances, such as the war in Ukraine (20.5 percent).

When Croats talk about their fears, compared to the usual ones such as major economic and life decisions, some new ones have also appeared. Croats now fear high real estate prices, storms, severe weather, earthquakes, illness, and the increased arrival of migrants the most, writes Jutarnji list journalist Filip Pavić.

Source: fenix-magazin.de