The number of unemployed persons rose by 3.9% month-on-month to 122,369 people, while the number of employed persons was down by 1% to 1.59 million.

The size of the labor force decreased by 1.3% to 1.71 million. In January last year, the jobless rate stood at 7.8%.

In a separate report, the Zagreb-based agency said that Croatia's average net monthly wage totaled HRK 7,635 (EUR 1,013) last year, down by a real 3.1% year-on-year. The average gross monthly salary last year amounted to HRK 10,400, down by a real 2.3%.