In recent days, the business community in Croatia has voiced its concerns regarding the balance between tax compliance and public spending transparency. The Association of Croatian Entrepreneurs (UGP) has welcomed the Tax Administration's campaign titled "Every Receipt Counts," which aims to promote tax discipline and responsible citizen behavior. However, they have also emphasized that the same principles of responsibility, transparency, and accountability should apply equally to the government and all users of public funds.
Entrepreneurs in Croatia operate under strict rules daily—every receipt must be issued, every transaction recorded, every tax obligation declared, and every mistake explained. The state rightfully expects a high level of financial discipline from them. According to the UGP, citizens and entrepreneurs have the right to expect the same standards from the government.
The UGP argues that if the state requires citizens to take receipts for every purchase, then citizens have the right to see exactly where each euro from the budget is spent, for what purpose, based on which decision, and according to what criteria. They note that recent events and public debates about the management of public funds highlight how important it is to strengthen trust in institutions through real, rather than just formal, transparency.
Financial reports are often available but in formats that make it difficult for citizens, entrepreneurs, journalists, and the professional public to gain easy insight into who received the money, for what purpose, at what cost, and based on which decision. The UGP emphasizes that the public does not need just aggregated tables and general figures but clear, comparable, and searchable data that enable actual control over the use of public funds.
They consider the area of public procurement and public tenders particularly important. It is not enough, they say, simply to announce who received the funds; the public should be able to see the criteria used to make the decision, how the submitted bids were evaluated, and whether there was an opportunity for independent verification of the process.
Transparency, according to the UGP, is not an attack on institutions. Rather, it is protection for honest officials, responsible institutions, entrepreneurs who follow the rules, and citizens who fund the budget. They propose specific measures such as regular publication of expenses per supplier, users, amounts, and purposes; development of publicly accessible and searchable digital databases; publication of clear criteria for public tenders and justification of decisions; simpler comparison of prices, deadlines, and delivered services; greater transparency in public procurement throughout the entire process.
They emphasize the need to strengthen internal controls and oversight of public spending and consistent and transparent implementation of existing sanction procedures in cases of identified irregularities, regardless of the position or function of the responsible individuals. The UGP notes that Croatia today has digital tools that allow for very high levels of oversight in the private sector and believes it is time to systematically apply the same level of digital transparency to monitoring public spending and public procurement.
They call on the Government, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Digital Transformation, the State Audit Office, and other relevant bodies to engage in dialogue about concrete legal and digital solutions that will further increase transparency in the management of public funds. They clarify that they are not seeking privileges but equal rules of responsibility for both the public and private sectors.
Tax discipline and transparent public spending are two sides of the same coin, they argue, reminding that trust among citizens and entrepreneurs is built not only by effective taxation but also by responsible, verifiable, and transparent management of public funds. "Entrepreneurs fill the budget. Citizens finance it. Therefore, they have the right to know where their money goes," the UGP states.
In addition to this, local political groups have raised concerns about the lack of transparency in the management of city-owned companies and institutions. The Club of Zagreb Female Representatives, led by Dina Dogan, has pointed out a pattern of opaque governance within the City of Zagreb, citing multiple instances of top executives leaving their positions without clear explanations. They argue that these departures cannot be viewed as isolated incidents but rather as part of a broader trend.
Dogan stated that when the mayor claims he doesn't know who was appointed and has no connection to the matter, she responsibly asserts that he is lying. She noted that the Zagreb Holding Board confirms the mandates of the Management and Supervisory Board and is responsible for appointing directors. After the summer break, the club plans to request a discussion on the responsibility for managing city-owned enterprises and seek verifiable answers regarding the reasons behind the recent changes in leadership of these entities.
Ivka Odvorčić, another city representative, criticized the operations of the Zagreb Gas Company, noting that the company lost around 60 percent of household customers and part of its business clients, with service now being taken over by Međimurje Gas. She highlighted that the city has given up potential revenue that could have been generated by its own company and stressed that no one has been held accountable for such business decisions. “Whatever happens, the biggest punishment is a transfer to another job, but there’s no accountability,” Odvorčić said.
These developments underscore growing concerns about the transparency and accountability of public spending and governance in Croatia, prompting calls for more rigorous oversight mechanisms and clearer justifications for administrative decisions.
3 reports
N1 HrvatskaIndependentCenterFactual 85Objective 906 days agoThe Croatian business association 'Glas poduzetnika' (UGP) has welcomed the tax authority's campaign 'Every receipt counts,' which encourages citizens to maintain fiscal discipline and responsible behavior. However, they argue that the same principles of responsibility, transparency, and accountability should apply to the state and all users of public funds. The association highlights that businesses in Croatia operate under strict rules, including issuing receipts, recording transactions, and declaring tax obligations. They emphasize that citizens have the right to expect similar transparency from the government regarding public spending—specifically, being able to see where every euro of public money is spent, based on what decisions and criteria. While financial reports are often available, they are typically presented in formats that make it difficult for the public, entrepreneurs, journalists, and experts to easily access detailed information about expenditures. UGP calls for clearer, searchable data that allows genuine oversight of public spending, particularly in areas like public procurement and tenders. They propose specific measures such as regularly publishing expenses,
Bias read (Center): The article presents the views of a private business association calling for greater governmental transparency and accountability. It does not take a clear ideological stance but rather advocates for balanced application of accountability standards across both private and public sectors. The framing
Why these scores (Factual 85 · Objective 90): The article presents the UGP's stance accurately, citing their statements about transparency and accountability from both citizens and the state. It does not introduce unverified claims, aligns with the general consensus among the sources, and maintains a neutral tone.
Večernji listIndependentProgressiveFactual 80Objective 757 days agoThe Club of Zagreb Female Representatives has accused the city of Zagreb of a pattern of opaque management practices, citing multiple resignations of top officials at municipal companies and institutions. Dina Dogan, president of the club, stated that these incidents cannot be viewed as isolated cases but rather indicate a systemic issue. She criticized the mayor, Tomislav Tomašević, for denying any involvement in the appointments of directors, calling his claims dishonest. The club plans to request a debate in the City Council after the summer break regarding accountability for managing municipal enterprises and seek clear justifications for recent leadership changes. Ivka Odvorčić, a city representative, highlighted financial losses suffered by Zagreb Gas Supply due to losing customers to Međimurje Gas, noting that no one was held accountable for such decisions.
Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the situation as a systemic issue of poor governance and holds the mayor and city authorities accountable, using critical language toward the current administration. It emphasizes the need for transparency and accountability, which aligns with progressive values. The tone is accus
Why these scores (Factual 80 · Objective 75): The article reports on the club's accusations regarding lack of transparency in Zagreb's management. The facts appear accurate based on the cross-source consensus, though the tone leans slightly toward criticism of officials, reducing overall objectivity.
HRT (Hrvatska radiotelevizija)State / PublicCenterFactual 70Objective 807 days agoThe headline 'Svaki račun se računa' translates to 'Every account is accounted for,' suggesting a focus on accountability or transparency in financial matters. The article likely discusses issues related to budgeting, public spending, or administrative oversight in Croatia. Given the title, the piece may highlight efforts to ensure proper accounting practices across various sectors, possibly involving government agencies or local municipalities. While the content remains unspecified due to limited information, the emphasis appears to be on maintaining fiscal responsibility and preventing misuse of public funds.
Bias read (Center): The headline suggests a balanced approach to accountability rather than taking a partisan stance. Without further details, the framing appears neutral, focusing on the principle of accountability rather than promoting a specific political agenda.
Why these scores (Factual 70 · Objective 80): This article mentions the campaign title but provides little additional information. While it is factually correct in referencing the campaign, it lacks depth and context compared to other sources, and the neutrality is somewhat limited by the repetition of the campaign slogan.
Croatia
