ZAGREB, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Inflation in Croatia accelerated to 4.9 percent year-on-year in October, the Croatian Bureau of Statistics said on Wednesday.
Energy prices remained a key driver of inflation, soaring 20.7 percent year-on-year. Meanwhile, service prices rose 7.5 percent, and food, beverages and tobacco prices edged up 0.2 percent, according to the bureau.
Inflation in Croatia slowed from April through July but began rising again in August, with the upward trend continuing through October.
Croatian Finance Minister Tomislav Coric said on Wednesday that domestic inflationary pressures remained under control and that inflation would be below 2 percent without the recent surge in energy prices.
He expressed hope that a de-escalation of conflicts would bring energy prices down, paving the way for a significant decline in inflation in the first quarter of next year, as previously projected. ■