At the end of March, there were 1.7 million employed people in Croatia, which is 0.3 percent more than the previous month and 1.9 percent more than in March last year, according to data from the Croatian Bureau of Statistics (DZS).

In March, Croatia had 1,699,426 employed persons, which is an increase of 5,674 or 0.3 percent compared to the end of February. On an annual level, the total number of employed persons increased by 1.9 percent, the DZS statistics show. There were 1,472,082 people employed in legal entities, which is 3,048 or 0.2 percent more than a month earlier. Compared to the same month last year, the number of employees in legal entities increased by 1.8 percent.

According to data obtained by the DZS from the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute, there were 209,734 people employed in crafts and freelance professions at the end of March 2025, which is 2,655 or 1.3 percent more than in February this year. On an annual level, the number of employees in crafts and freelance professions rose by 3.5 percent.

The number of insured agricultural workers, which stood at 17,610 at the end of March, fell by 0.2 percent on a monthly basis and by 3.4 percent year-on-year.

It turns out Donald Trump might be the best thing that’s happened to free trade—at least for Europe.

By building a tariff wall around the United States in line with his “America First” policy, the American president is unintentionally encouraging other countries to band together in an effort to cushion the blow that policy is dealing to their exports, reports N1. 

Under pressure from protectionist-leaning France and international climate protests, the European Union has spent the last five years using trade policy to promote the bloc’s values—such as human rights and sustainability—which has frustrated partners like India, Indonesia, and the South American bloc Mercosur. But now, with the U.S.—its historic ally—opting to go it alone and shaking global markets and trade networks with a barrage of tariffs, the EU is quickly positioning itself as a strong liberal trade bloc open for business, reports Politico.

This shift is welcomed by the EU’s more economically liberal member states, which have often opposed French protectionism. The World Trade Organization predicts a 0.2% decline in global trade this year, a figure that could climb to 1.5% if Trump reintroduces higher tariffs—such as the 20% tariff on the EU—that he has currently suspended for 90 days to allow for negotiations.

Since securing her second term in December, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen—who oversees trade policy for the 27 member states—has marked a series of trade wins. Brussels has finalized long-standing negotiations with Mercosur, as well as with Mexico and Switzerland. Talks with Malaysia have been restarted, and negotiations with the United Arab Emirates are underway.

EU Strengthens Its Own Standards

EU nations like France, Belgium, and Austria—previously reluctant to open their sensitive markets—are now viewing trade agreements as a geopolitical necessity, not just an economic bonus. France, for example, whose political elite had rejected the EU–Mercosur trade deal as politically and economically toxic, is now quietly softening its position in light of Trump’s trade offensive.

The transatlantic trade relationship is Europe’s largest, with total goods exchange worth €1.6 trillion. It is followed by the United Kingdom, China, and Switzerland. Although the EU and China have floated the idea of resetting relations in response to Trump’s tariffs, a trade agreement is not currently on the table—pushing the EU to broaden its list of partners.

Still, despite the short-term relief for free trade advocates within the EU, that doesn’t mean new deals will come easily—at least not yet. There are growing fears that Trump’s tariffs could redirect Chinese exports from the U.S. to Europe, prompting calls for increased protection of the EU’s single market.

And while Trump has sparked renewed hope for a potential positive outcome in the transatlantic trade dispute during Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s recent visit to the White House, a comprehensive deal seems unlikely.

That’s the goal of Germany’s future chancellor Friedrich Merz, who insists the best outcome for Europe in dealing with the U.S. would be a mutual agreement to eliminate all tariffs.

Since the collapse of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) talks in 2016, the European Union has bolstered its standards for environmental protection and human rights. But even if it were to relax or delay key parts of its green agenda, it likely wouldn’t be enough for a Washington administration focused primarily on business interests.

The installation of a new regasification module, which will increase the maximum capacity of the LNG terminal in Omišalj from 3.1 to 6.1 billion cubic meters of gas per year, is nearing completion, and it is expected to be operational in October. An auction for the allocation of additional regasification capacity for the next 15 years is scheduled for May, reports HINA

LNG Croatia, the company managing the LNG terminal in Omišalj, confirmed that, as part of the first phase of increasing the terminal’s regasification capacity for liquefied natural gas, it will offer additional regasification capacity for the next 15 gas years, from 2025/2026 to 2039/2040, on May 12. The additional capacity will be offered through an auction organized by LNG Croatia in cooperation with the PRISMA European Capacity Platform GmbH, a platform for contracting capacities in European gas infrastructure.

The existing capacities of the terminal are already booked for the next 12 years.

Since the commercial start of the LNG terminal in January 2021, 117 LNG carriers have docked at the terminal, around 16.4 million cubic meters of liquefied natural gas have been received, and nearly 9.9 billion cubic meters of natural gas have been delivered.

President Zoran Milanović will attend the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday, his office confirmed to Hina on Wednesday. Shortly after, confirmation also came regarding the attendance of Prime Minister Plenković.

The farewell for the late head of the Catholic Church, who passed away on Easter Monday, will take place on Saturday at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square. The Pope will then be laid to rest in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome.

A number of world leaders have announced their attendance at the farewell ceremony, including U.S. President Donald Trump, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, Argentine President Javier Milei (from the Pope’s homeland), French President Emmanuel Macron, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Arriving at Parliament’s regular session on Wednesday, Prime Minister Plenković told reporters that he would attend the Pope’s funeral on Saturday. “I’m going, I’m going,” he said briefly when asked if he had made a decision to attend, following his earlier statement in Jasenovac the previous day expressing a desire to go.

President Zoran Milanović will also be present at the funeral of the Pope.

The Croatian government has declared Saturday a national day of mourning.

It was wings, sirens and feathers in the air when two quick-thinking police officers in Croatia swooped to the rescue of a dazed eagle found staggering by the side of a busy road, reports Dubrovacki Vjesnik. 

At the tail end of March, officers from the Ploče Police Station sprang into action after receiving a tip-off that an injured bird of prey – later identified as a short-toed snake eagle – was spotted on the verge of the D-425 highway near Karamatići.

The dynamic duo, officer Anita Gnječ and officer Ante Štrbić, raced to the scene and found the disoriented raptor flapping helplessly near the tarmac – lucky not to have become roadkill.

With backup from the local fire brigade, the stunned eagle was scooped up and taken to the station, where it was handed over to bird expert Bariša Ilić from the Brkata Sjenica Ornithological Society.

Thankfully, the feathery patient hadn’t broken any bones, but vets say it was likely shaken up after a mid-air smash – possibly with a vehicle or roadside obstacle.

After some much-needed R&R and rehab, the bird made a full recovery and was released back into the wild this week, not far from where it was found.

The short-toed snake eagle (Circaetus gallicus) is classed as a threatened species in Croatia, making this rescue all the more egg-ceptional.

He’s done it again – Luka Modrić, the little magician from Zadar, has officially cemented his place in footballing royalty. The Croatian captain and Real Madrid legend has been named one of the 35 greatest footballers of all time by English sports site GiveMeSport.

In an ambitious ranking that tackled one of football’s toughest debates – who really is the greatest of all time? – Modrić found himself rubbing shoulders with the likes of Messi, Ronaldo, Maradona and Pele. Ranked 24th overall, Modrić is the only Croatian to make the elite list, and his inclusion is being hailed as further proof of his legendary status.

Modrić, who lifted the Ballon d’Or in 2018 and helped Croatia to a historic World Cup final, continues to pull strings both for club and country. Despite being in the twilight of his career, the midfield maestro is still very much a heartbeat of Real Madrid and the Croatian national team.

The GiveMeSport panel based their ranking on several key factors: impact on the team (goals, assists, clean sheets), club and international trophies, and personal accolades – including, of course, that all-important Ballon d’Or. And by those standards, Modrić more than earned his spot.

While Lionel Messi took the No.1 position ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo, Modrić’s presence among football titans such as Zidane, Ronaldinho, Xavi, and Beckenbauer speaks volumes. The Croatian midfield general was described as “indestructible” by the press after once again writing history for Real Madrid.

Zagreb Airport was bursting at the seams on Thursday, April 17, as it smashed its all-time record for passenger traffic — just in time for the Easter holiday rush.

A staggering 16,580 travellers passed through the terminals in just 24 hours, making it the airport’s busiest day ever, reports EX-YU Aviation. 

Ryanair ruled the runway, offering the most seats with 6,946 up for grabs, while Croatia Airlines wasn’t far behind with 6,396, and Lufthansa rounded out the top three with 1,268.

But when it came to take-offs and landings, it was Croatia’s national carrier leading the charge, operating 55 flights throughout the day. Ryanair clocked up 38, and Lufthansa managed 8.

Top destinations included sunny Dubrovnik, bustling Istanbul, and coastal favourite Split, all boasting the highest seat capacities on the day.

The airport saw its most chaotic hour between 2pm and 3pm, with eight departures and five arrivals crammed into a single 60-minute window.

This new record beats the previous one set on June 14, 2024, when 16,197 passengers were processed.

Looks like the Easter bunny had some serious competition at passport control this year!

The Government of the Republic of Croatia has today, during a telephone session, adopted a Decision declaring Saturday, April 26, 2025, a Day of Mourning in the Republic of Croatia following the death of His Holiness Pope Francis.

The Day of Mourning is marked by the mandatory display of the Croatian national flag at half-mast on all buildings housing state authorities, as well as local and regional self-government bodies. The flag must also be flown at half-mast on buildings where legal entities are based or conduct their activities, as well as where individuals conduct their independent professions.

On the Day of Mourning, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., entertainment events are not permitted.