Less than one third of citizens think Croatia is ready to introduce the euro on 1 January 2023 and a big majority, fears the introduction will lead to tacit price rises, according to the findings of a survey presented on Wednesday.

The survey was initiated by MEP Biljana Borzan and conducted by the Hendal agency in March and April, covering 805 respondents.

The findings show that 29.9% agree with the claim that Croatia is not ready to introduce the euro on 1 January 2023, while 45.5% do not agree and 24.7% neither agree nor disagree.

Also, 86.2% of respondents believe the introduction will be used to tacitly raise prices.

Borzan said the aim of the survey was not to create additional panic but to reassure citizens and give them clear data on why introducing the euro was good, and also to make the government eliminate the fears so that citizens would accept the euro without any problems.

She said that in Slovenia the gross pay went up by 46% and prices by 26% since the euro was introduced, and in Latvia by 67% and 10%, respectively.

Borzan said a minimum short-term rise in prices was a fact but that the long-term benefit was “very visible” for citizens and that she was sure it would happen in Croatia, too, “because entering the euro zone actually means economic profit.”

She said Croatia’s law on introducing the euro banned businesses from raising prices without justification but did not envisage sanctions.

The survey shows that 83.2% of respondents feel that businesses which convert prices unfairly should be publicly blacklisted.

Borzan said the government rejected such a proposal and that this was part of the problem. “The other is the non-inclusion of consumer associations and citizens so that we know what awaits us.”

Furthermore, 83.8% of respondents feel the government’s measures against price rises will be useless without good inspections, and over 50% feel that market inspectors are not doing a good job nor protecting citizens from higher prices.

Also, 81.4% of respondents feel that consumers in Croatia are insufficiently protected.