ZAGREB, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Consumer prices in Croatia rose by an average of 5.8 percent year-on-year in April, according to a preliminary estimate released by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics (CBS) on Thursday.
On a monthly basis, consumer prices increased by 1.5 percent.
Data from the CBS showed that energy prices recorded the sharpest year-on-year hike at 17.5 percent in April. The prices of services rose by 8.2 percent, while the category of food, beverages, and tobacco saw an increase of 3.5 percent.
Addressing a government session on Thursday, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic attributed the surge primarily to external market volatility.
"This increase is a direct consequence of rising energy prices, especially oil products, due to the conflict in the Middle East," Plenkovic said. "The increase in energy prices is responsible for almost half of the rise in inflation in April."
The prime minister noted that if energy prices had remained stable, the inflation rate would be around 3 percent.
"We are seeing the consequences of this external shock and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz not only in Croatia but also in other European Union members," Plenkovic added, noting that 16 EU members are currently experiencing accelerating inflation.
Croatia has been grappling with high inflation for months. In March, the country recorded an inflation rate of 4.7 percent, the highest in the EU at the time. ■
