Croatians and other EU citizens are most concerned about rising prices, inflation and cost of living cost, while support for the euro in Croatia remains at 52%, according to the summer 2022 Standard Eurobarometer survey, released on Tuesday.

The survey was conducted from 17 June to 17 July, covering 26,468 citizens in the EU’s 27 member states.

Asked which were the two most important issues facing the EU and their country, 54% of respondents in the EU and 65% in Croatia said rising prices, inflation and cost of living cost.

Next is energy supply, mentioned by 22% of respondents in the EU and 14% in Croatia.

Third for Croatians is the economic situation, while for the rest of the EU it is the international situation.

Forty-nine percent of respondents in the EU and 42% in Croatia trust the EU.

Only 20% of respondents in Croatia and 34% in the EU trust their national government. In Croatia, the number of those who don’t trust the government increased by 4 percentage points from the Winter Barometer, while the number of those who do fell by 6  percentage points.

Only 20% of respondents in Croatia think the economic situation in the country is good, while 79% think it is bad. At EU level, 34% think the economic situation in their country is good and 64% that it is bad.

The positive image of the Union is now at 47% in the EU and at 41% in Croatia.

In the EU, 72% of respondents are in favour of a European economic and monetary union with one single currency, the euro, while in Croatia it is 52%. Compared with the Winter Barometer, support for the euro went up  five percentage points, while the number of those against it fell  two percentage points. In Croatia, support for the euro stayed at 52%, while the number of those against it fell 4 pp to 40%.

Fifty-seven percent of respondents in the EU and 60% in Croatia are satisfied with the EU’s response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

As for the national response to COVID-19, 45% of respondents in Croatia are satisfied with it, while 52% are not. In the EU, 56% are satisfied with their government’s measures and 43% are not.

Regarding the EU’s response to the pandemic, 56% in the EU and 52% in Croatia are satisfied with it.

The European Commission said in a press release the survey showed that negative perceptions of the economy and fear of inflation did not undermine support for and trust in the EU.

“An overwhelming majority of EU citizens support investments in renewable energy and action to reduce the EU’s dependency on Russian energy sources. The approval rate of the euro has reached its highest level ever. However, Europeans are increasingly concerned about the economic situation in the EU and in their own country.”