Croatia's inflation rate is at the level of that in the euro area, while many EU member states not in the euro area have considerably higher rates, which confirms that Croatia is more protected and less exposed in the euro area, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Tuesday.

The national statistical office said today that Croatia’s annual inflation in December was 13.1%, down from a record-high 13.5% the month before. In 2022, inflation was 10.8% on average.

Speaking to the press, Plenkovic said the euro area inflation “is somewhere below 10% on the average” and that Croatian citizens and businesses were better protected as part of the euro area.

He asked everyone to adhere to the kuna-euro exchange rate set last July at €1 for HRK 7.5345.

Journalists asked him for a comment on today’s statement by retailers that they are willing to participate in a price monitoring mechanism after they and the Economy Ministry agree and make public how the price comparison mechanism will be implemented.

Plenkovic said Economy Minister Davor Filipovic informed him that two retail chains had provided all the data the minister had requested. “If two can do it, the others probably can too. They should solve this with the minister as soon as possible.”

“If everything is clear, clean, transparent, I don’t see the problem,” he added.