Key background

• Early national parliamentary elections in April 2024 saw the long-dominant centre-right HDZ party win most seats in parliament but fall short of an outright majority. In the new coalition between HDZ and the Homeland Movement, a new Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition has been established, led by former Agriculture Minister Marija Vučković. This ministry aims to drive the green transition and sustainable development but concerns about the efficiency of this change persist, especially with key sectors like energy and economy under the Homeland Movement. Energy sector stakeholders emphasize that effective inter-ministerial collaboration and addressing administrative delays in renewable energy project approvals are crucial.
• Thanks mainly to its large hydropower plants, Croatia has a significant share of renewable energy in electricity production. Due to persistent rainy weather, in the first five months of 2023 the share stood at 75.9 percent. In January 2024, renewable energy sources produced more electricity than thermal power plants and from the Croatian part of the nuclear powerplant Krško. For 4 days in December 2023, the country was powered entirely by renewable energy sources.