ZAGREB, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Croatia's annual inflation rate rose to 3.7 percent in June, according to a statement released Tuesday by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics (CBS). The latest figures place Croatia among the Eurozone countries with the highest price growth last month, Eurostat data shows.
In June, service costs increased by 6.7 percent year-on-year, while prices of food, beverages, and tobacco rose by 5.2 percent. Energy prices also climbed by 3 percent, the CBS said.
This marks the second consecutive month of rising annual inflation, following a 3.5 percent rate recorded in May.
By comparison, the annual consumer price growth across the Eurozone stood at 2 percent in June, up slightly from 1.9 percent in May. Only Estonia and Slovakia recorded higher inflation rates than Croatia, according to Eurostat.
Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Marko Primorac reaffirmed on Tuesday the government's commitment to its annual inflation projection.
"We expect the average annual inflation rate this year to be 3 percent, and the Ministry of Finance still stands by these projections," Primorac said. "As we approach the end of the year, we also expect inflation to slow down." ■
