This year, Croatian MPs spent 6.8 million kuna, excluding pay, according to an overview of expenses from 1 January to 21 December which parliament published on its website.

As in previous years, the highest amount was spent on the use of personal cars for official purposes (2.8 million kuna) and on flat renting (1.9 million kuna).

Parliament covers the rental of state-owned or rented flats for MPs who live 50 km from Zagreb or more – up to 2,500 kuna for the monthly rent and up to 500 kuna for utilities.

MPs may come to plenaries using public transport and have the expense refunded, but only nine out of the 151 did so this year, on which under 30,000 kuna was spent.

Just under 700,000 kuna was paid to MPs who live away from their families, for which an MP receives a 1,000 kuna monthly allowance when parliament is in session.

This year 432,000 kuna was spent on road tolls, 253,000 kuna on air travel, 211,000 kuna on utilities for flats used by MPs, 172,000 kuna on hotel accommodation, 153,000 kuna on state-owned flats, and just under 90,000 kuna on per diems.

Just under 16,000 kuna was spent on taxi services, parking, vignettes, and COVID-19 testing.

Domagoj Hajdukovic of the opposition Social Democrats group spent the most, including frequent travel abroad (137,000 kuna).

MPs who live farthest from Zagreb had the highest expenses, starting with Nevenko Barbaric of the ruling HDZ, who comes to sittings from Bosnia and Herzegovina (132,000 kuna), followed by Bozo Petrov of the opposition Most party, who travels from the coastal town of Metkovic (115,000 kuna), and Katica Glamuzina and Matko Kuzmanic (Social Democrats), who come from Split (112,000 kuna each).

Other MPs who spent more than 100,000 kuna were the HDZ’s Ante Sanader, Radoje Vidovic and Ante Babic, Franko Vidovic (Social Democrats), Branko Grcic (Social Democratic Party), and Hrvoje Zekanovic (Sovereignists). Most come to sessions from Dalmatia.

Forty MPs who live in or around Zagreb had no other expenses other than their pay.

Speaker Gordan Jandrokovic had 17,160 kuna in additional expenses this year, including 16,000 kuna for hotel accommodation.

(€1 = HRK 7.5)