Short-term rental owners in Croatia protested against proposed tax hikes, claiming the measures unfairly target low-income earners and threaten their livelihoods. The government argues the changes aim to tackle a housing crisis driven by tourism demand.
Owners of short-term rental properties gathered in protest in Zagreb on Saturday, 23rd November, opposing the Croatian government’s proposed draft laws aimed at addressing a tourism-related housing affordability crisis.
The legislation, which was approved by lawmakers last week but awaits final approval following broader consultations and potential amendments, includes measures to raise taxes on short-term rental properties and increase the lump-sum tax on tourist rentals. However, long-term rental properties remain unaffected.
Protesters argued that renting out properties is a vital source of income for many, helping pensioners and their families avoid poverty. "We have gathered here to express our opposition to the entire legal package proposed by our government with the sole and exclusive aim of reducing the number of beds in our property. These laws are anti-social and hit those with the lowest incomes the hardest," said Vedran Tomac, a protester from Rijeka.
Brankica Grmoja, from the coastal resort town of Makarska, highlighted how the laws would hurt families like hers. "My father started building it (house) when he was 18 years old. They (her parents) together have a (monthly) pension of 1100 euros, and they both worked full time. If it weren't for that, they would be just poor, and like this, they can go to restaurants, go on trips," she explained.
Tourism is a cornerstone of Croatia's economy, contributing around 20% of the nation’s GDP, with millions of visitors arriving annually. Approximately 125,000 people are employed in the home rentals sector.
Thailand launched air strikes along its disputed border with Cambodia on Monday after fresh fighting erupted between the two neighbours, raising fears...
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says recent talks with U.S. representatives on a possible peace plan were “constructive, although not easy...
In 2013, just a month after becoming president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita declared that the days of mutinous soldiers undermining government authority in...
Polling closed on Sunday (7 December) in Hong Kong’s overhauled “patriots-only” legislative election, with vote counting now underway....
A Türkiye-registered Air Tractor AT-802F crashed in western Croatia on Thursday, killing the pilot, local authorities and media reported.
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev welcomed a Croatian delegation led by Gordan Jandroković, Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, marking his first official visit to Azerbaijan.
On July 11–12, Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov took part in the “Dubrovnik Forum” held in Dubrovnik, Croatia, under the theme “Channelling the Change.”
Croatia’s ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) has emerged as the dominant force in the country’s second round of local elections, securing a series of key mayoral and regional victories, according to results reported by local media Monday.
A coup attempt by “a small group of soldiers” has been foiled, Beninese Interior Minister Alassane Seidou said on Sunday on national television, urging citizens to continue their daily activities.
A delayed local vote in the rural Honduran town of San Antonio de Flores has become a pivotal moment in the country’s tightest presidential contest, with both campaigns watching its results as counting stretches into a second week.
FIFA releases the 2026 World Cup schedule with match dates, venues, and key fixtures. See when host nations USA, Mexico, and Canada play and get an overview of group stage and knockout rounds.
Lava fountains shot from Hawaii’s Kīlauea volcano from dawn to dusk on Saturday, with new footage showing intensifying activity at the north vent.
McLaren’s Lando Norris became Formula One world champion for the first time in Abu Dhabi, edging Max Verstappen to the title by just two points after a tense season finale.
Thailand launched air strikes along its disputed border with Cambodia on Monday after fresh fighting erupted between the two neighbours, raising fears of the collapse of a peace plan brokered just months ago by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says recent talks with U.S. representatives on a possible peace plan were “constructive, although not easy,” as he prepares for new consultations with European leaders in coming days.
In 2013, just a month after becoming president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita declared that the days of mutinous soldiers undermining government authority in the capital, Bamako, were over. Yet, seven years later, Keita himself was toppled, facing the very fate he had vowed to prevent.
Polling closed on Sunday (7 December) in Hong Kong’s overhauled “patriots-only” legislative election, with vote counting now underway.
Greetings from Tripoli — a city that stands at the heart of Africa’s energy landscape and today hosts one of the continent’s key regional gatherings: the Libya–Africa International Gas Forum 2025.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment