“Demographic revitalization is a vital issue for Croatia with an aging population”Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said last week. Everything is therefore good to bring people back to Croatia. The government announced that it would give money to expatriates who agreed to return. Name of the seduction operation: “I chose Croatia”. Simple, direct and efficient. Croats who have gone to live abroad are offered up to 26,000 euros if they decide to return home and set up a business, for example.
Young people are particularly targeted with bonuses if they return to work in the digital or ecological sectors, in particular as a self-employed person. These sectors are not highlighted by chance: they are fashionable and in addition, they are popular with Croats who have settled in Ireland.
There are several reasons for these measures. In Croatia, the population is aging, the birth rate is falling and the economic crisis lasts. Many Croats choose to move elsewhere in Europe to find better living conditions. Since 2013, and accession to the European Union, the country has lost inhabitants every year. Between 250,000 and 350,000 people in nearly ten years, according to sources. Some experts even estimate that Croatia has lost up to 10% of its population. A new census is planned for 2022.
Even last year, during the pandemic, Croats left to live abroad, slightly more than the number of foreigners who came to Croatia (who arrive mainly from Bosnia and Herzegovina). This phenomenon is not new, but the government has decided to act. And what date did he choose to make this announcement? The end of year celebrations, when many Croats return home to see their families. Why not make them want to stay?
This program could bring back to Croatia definitively between 4,000 and 5,000 Croats. The Croatian government also provides funds to promote removals within the country. An envelope for those who live in town or by the sea and who would agree to move in depopulated rural areas. These return checks will be issued from January 1.
How can we explain that such a large number of Croats have left their country since 2013? If you ask them directly, they’ll tell you it’s because the future is too bleak in Croatia. Little work, low wages, so they look for opportunities elsewhere in Europe. The majority of Croats choose to settle in Germany and Ireland, countries where, they say, they can find work in line with their studies, unlike Croatia. Many are also disappointed with political parties and Croatian society. Too much patronage and corruption. In Croatia, young people tend to think that networks and luck are more important than knowledge and skills for achieving success.
They also denounce the working conditions. Croatian companies are struggling to recruit and sometimes place the burden of work on those who remain. One of them explained in the press a few years ago his trigger to go with wife and children to Germany: “One year, due to a lack of staff, my boss refused to take my time off.” The drop too much. And the vicious circle that continues.