European Commission 17 July 2026, COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 2026 Rule of Law Report Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in Croatia Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions 2026 Rule of Law Report The rule of law situation in the European Union

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This Commission Staff Working Document constitutes the 2026 Rule of Law Report country chapter for Croatia, assessing developments across four pillars: justice system, anti-corruption framework, media pluralism and freedom, and checks and balances. The document records significant legislative progress, including amendments to the Law on the Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime, the Criminal Procedure Code, and the media law, while identifying persistent concerns regarding judicial independence, systematic verification of asset declarations, and the scope of anti-SLAPP protections for journalists. The Commission issues targeted recommendations, notably to continue improving justice efficiency in litigious commercial and civil cases, to develop a track record of effective high-level corruption prosecutions, to strengthen digitalised asset declaration verification, and to broaden safeguards for journalists against strategic litigation.AI