One Croatian city loses ‘big city’ status – only three remain
- by croatiaweek
- in News
Osijek, once proudly counted among Croatia’s four “big cities” alongside Zagreb, Split, and Rijeka, has lost its status due to a shrinking population.
The eastern city’s decline—marked by a drop of 3,152 residents—means Croatia now has just three major urban hubs.
“It’s sad. So sad. We used to be really strong, but now when you look around, it’s all emptiness. I’m a born Osijek girl, and it breaks my heart,” Dubravka told Dnevnik.hr.
Another resident, Nenad, added, “I think Osijek deserves to stay up there with Rijeka or Split.” Yet not everyone is downbeat. Davor Šimek struck an optimistic note: “Osijek is still the most beautiful city in the world to live in. I believe people will come back or move here soon, and we’ll reclaim our spot among Croatia’s top cities.”
The numbers tell a tougher story. Osijek’s population has now dipped to levels seen in smaller cities like Pula, Karlovac, and Slavonski Brod.
This shift has triggered administrative changes too. At the next local elections, the city will elect just one deputy mayor instead of two, and its council will shrink from 31 to 27 members.
Mayor Ivan Radić insists Osijek’s spirit remains unbroken.
“Investments from the government and local authorities are paying off,” he said. “Osijek deserves to hold its place as Croatia’s fourth city, despite daily migration and other challenges.”
Osijek
Commenting on media reports, Osijek’s Mayor said that Osijek was, is and will be a big city, because the law stipulates that cities with more than 35 thousand inhabitants, which are administrative, economic and traffic centres, have the status of big cities, Index.hr writes.
But for the opposition, the population drop signals deeper issues. “The real question isn’t why we’ll have one deputy mayor—it’s why people are leaving Osijek,” said Vjeran Marijašević, SDP’s candidate for mayor. He argues policies like free kindergartens and long-term rental housing could turn the tide.
Katarina Kruhonja from the Možemo party takes a different angle, stressing that quality governance and community engagement matter more than the size of the administration.
Osijek’s decline isn’t new. Since the 1970s, the city has lost around 10,000 residents, even as its industrial zone grows and renewal projects take shape.
For now, locals like Davor Šimek hold onto hope. “I believe the city will keep developing and moving forward,” he said. Whether Osijek can bounce back remains to be seen—but its people aren’t ready to give up just yet.
