Croatian Women's Success
Sara Strljic Highlights Croatian Women's Prominent Roles as Leaders, Innovators, and Professionals
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Sara Strljic, a leading Croatian economic figure, declared this week that
The timing is no accident. Croatia faces a June 30, 2026, deadline to comply with EU Directive 2022/2381, which requires large listed companies to fill at least 40% of non-executive board seats with the underrepresented sex. Yet EIGE data shows Croatia scores just 57.1 out of 100 on the Gender Equality Index — ranking 21st in the EU and scoring a stark 21.8 out of 100 in the
EU Quota Deadline Forces Croatia to Act Fast
The Women on Boards Directive was adopted by the European Parliament on November 23, 2022. It took Croatia until December 5, 2024, to write it into law through amendments to the Companies Act, according to Vidan Law Office. Companies now must use
Missing the June 30 deadline carries real costs. Firms that fall short face misdemeanor charges and financial fines under the amended law, according to Klea Legal. If enough companies fail, Brussels could open infringement proceedings against Croatia itself — a serious political embarrassment for the government.
Strong in Labs, Weak in Boardrooms: Croatia's Data Gap
Croatia's numbers tell two very different stories. On the positive side, women make up 60% of all researchers and 38.3% of STEM graduates in the country, according to the Croatian Bureau of Statistics. Women also account for 60% of university graduates overall — a strong pipeline for future leadership.
But that talent rarely reaches the top. The World Bank estimates female labor force participation at just 47.4%, compared to 57.4% for men. Croatia's
Critics Point to Boardroom Doors Still Closed
Not everyone shares Strljic's optimism. Ivan Đikić, a prominent Croatian biochemist, recently called it a
Croatia's Gender Equality Ombudswoman added another sobering data point: at the current pace of change, full gender parity in leadership is still roughly 130 years away, according to Croatian Parliament News. That long timeline clashes sharply with the upbeat
Pay Transparency Rules Set to Expose the Real Picture
The boardroom quota is only the first step. Starting in June 2027, Croatian companies with more than 150 employees must publish formal gender pay gap reports under the EU Pay Transparency Directive. The Croatian Cabinet approved the draft bill in December 2025, with an effective date of June 1, 2026, according to PayAlign.
The European Commission estimates that closing the gender gap on boards could add billions of euros to EU GDP by encouraging more diverse business decisions. For Croatia, that economic prize — and the threat of EU fines — may do more to open boardroom doors than any single statement of progress.
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