Croatia’s budget deficit, expressed as a share of gross domestic product (GDP), was slightly above the European average in the second quarter, exceeding the prescribed ‘ceiling’ of three percent, according to preliminary data from Eurostat released on Tuesday.

At the level of the 20-member eurozone, the seasonally adjusted budget deficit as a share of GDP amounted to three percent in the second quarter, the same as in the previous three months, remaining at the lowest level since the summer of 2022, according to calculations by the European statistical office.

Across the EU, the…