Almost a year after Croatia adopted the euro, the latest Eurobarometer survey shows that Croatians are still divided over the benefits of the European single currency. 

When asked about the benefits of adopting the euro for their country, just 51% of Croatians deemed it positive. That makes Croatians the least enthusiastic across the euro area, where an average of 69% believed the euro was advantageous for their country. Croatia also had the highest number of respondents saying the euro was a bad thing for the country, 36%, and a further 10% were undecided

Finland led with 85% support, followed closely by Estonia and Slovakia (84%), and Ireland (81%), according to the study conducted from October 3 to 9, 2023. 

79% of respondents across the 20 euro area states saw the euro as beneficial for the European Union. Slovakia (90%) and Finland (88%) topped the charts, while Latvia (70%) and Cyprus (72%) reported lower support.

In Croatia, 76% of respondents acknowledged the positive impact of the euro on the EU.

Regarding the economic impact of transitioning to the euro, 72% of Croatians believed it led to price hikes, with 23% specifying impacts on certain products and services, and 3% indicating stability.

The survey also explored the sense of European identity post-euro adoption, revealing that only 15% of Croatians felt more European. In contrast, Ireland (55%), Malta (46%), Portugal, and Slovakia (both 40%) reported higher levels.

In terms of the proposed €723bn recovery plan for coronavirus-hit member states, 66% of Croatians supported the initiative. This aligned with broader European trends, where Italy (83%), Spain (80%), and Greece (79%) led in approval, while Latvia (47%) and Germany (59%) reported lower levels of support.