ZAGREB, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- Croatia's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to surpass 100 billion euros (111.9 billion U.S. dollars) in 2026 for the first time ever, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters, Plenkovic said he expected economic growth of around 2.3 to 2.4 percent in 2026. Growth remains well above the average both for the European Union (EU) and the eurozone, showing that Croatia continues to catch up with more developed European economies, he noted.
According to Plenkovic, the country's economy has doubled since his government took office in 2016, adding more than 53 billion euros (59.3 billion U.S. dollars).
However, inflation remains a challenge for the Croatian economy. The annual inflation rate stood at 4.7 percent in September, according to the Croatian Bureau of Statistics. Energy prices in September rose 20.5 percent year-on-year amid supply disruptions linked to the conflict in the Middle East. ■