Croatia

New developments have emerged in the corruption probe involving former Split Mayor Željko Kerum, who was questioned by USKOK prosecutors and denies charges of incitement, with additional details of the investigation now public. Separately, a significant public procurement decision saw Chinese bridge builders lose a major Croatian contract following intervention from the European Union.

The nation is grappling with new reports of brutal attacks, including incidents involving children with special needs in Đakovo and on a playground. Furthermore, fresh corruption allegations are under scrutiny, focusing on an HDZ mayor accused of improperly allocating funds to Thompson impersonators for a charity event.

Economically, new analyses suggest Croatian pensions could have been substantially higher, while the country's apartment market is experiencing Europe's largest decline. Environmental concerns are rising after dangerous industrial and medical waste was confirmed to be buried in Gospić. The ongoing heatwave has intensified, with a red alert issued for the upcoming weekend, though a positive note comes from a net inflow of returning workers bolstering the national workforce.