In the first half of this year, parliamentarians spent 761 euros, excluding salaries, according to a not yet final overview of expenses published by the Croatian Parliament on its website.
From January 1 to July 15, 2025, similar to previous years, members of parliament spent the most on renting apartments (over 253 thousand euros) and on using personal cars for official purposes (over 198 thousand euros).
The Parliament covers the costs of official or rented apartments for representatives up to 650 euros and utilities up to 70 euros per month for representatives residing more than 50 kilometers from Zagreb.
It also covers the costs of the mileage they travel in their own car to attend the sessions and the tolls, or pays them a fee for arriving in Zagreb and returning home.
In six and a half months, a little over 37 thousand euros were spent on tolls, a little over 18 thousand euros on utilities, and around 15 thousand euros on official apartments.
125 out of 150 representatives participated in the expenses, 25 of them did not have any additional expenses.
The largest contributors to the total costs were Andro Krstulović Opara (HDZ) and Ivan Račan (SDP), whose expenses were mostly dictated by the duties they perform and their membership in working bodies that entail frequent foreign travel.
Krstulović Opara spent a total of around 21 thousand euros, 7505 euros on plane tickets and around 4300 euros on hotels. Račan spent a little over 16 thousand euros, of which around 8500 euros on plane tickets and around 4700 euros on hotels.
Third in terms of expenses is Nikolina Baradić (HDZ), who spent over 3700 euros in addition to her salary, most of which was on transportation costs by personal vehicle (around 4100 euros).
The group of MPs with over 10 thousand euros in extra expenses also includes HDZ's Jasna Vojnić and Zdravka Bušić, who spent over 12 thousand euros, also members of committees whose members often travel abroad. In this group, a higher share of expenses for airline tickets, hotels and daily allowances is also evident in Marijana Petir (NZ) with a total of around 11.700 euros spent, Marijana Puljak (Centre) with a total of 10.300 euros spent, and Marko Pavić, who spent more than two thirds of just over 10 thousand euros on hotels and flights.
In the first half of the year, a total of more than 56 thousand euros were paid for hotels, more than 86 thousand euros for plane tickets, and more than 26 thousand euros for daily allowances.
The group of "over 10 thousand extra expenses" also includes the MPs who are furthest from Zagreb. Thus, Nevenko Barbarić (HDZ) and Dario Pušić, who travel to the sessions from Bosnia and Herzegovina, spent 11.700 and 11.900 euros respectively, and Sanda Livia Maduna, who travels from Slavonski Brod, spent around 11.400 euros.
Among those who have over 10 thousand euros in extra expenses are Danica Baričević (HDZ) from Brač, Ante Kujundžić (Most) from Metković and Nikola Mažar (HDZ) from Vukovar.
MPs can also get to the Parliament by public transport with reimbursement of costs, but this mode of travel is used much less frequently. In six and a half months, 15 MPs used public transport, spending a total of around 2500 euros.
In addition to their salary, which depends on their length of service, personal allowance and tax, and which averages around 4000 euros, MPs also receive a monthly lump sum of around 200 euros to cover material costs. Those living outside Zagreb are also guaranteed a monthly living allowance of 133 euros, which they receive only when the Parliament is in session. In the first half of the year, MPs were paid just over 63 euros for living separately.
For other expenses, which include taxi services, parking, vignettes, VIP fast track and similar, the representatives spent about 3200 euros.
In the first half of the year until mid-July, the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, Gordan Jandroković, had 5480 euros in additional expenses, 660 euros for daily allowances, around 1.200 euros for a plane ticket, around 3.500 euros for a hotel, and 68 euros in other expenses.
Photo: HINA/Damir Senčar
