"I hope the government will soon present measures designed to help alleviate the impact of rising energy prices on the business sector," head of Croatia's national association employers HUP, Damir Zoric, said on Friday, adding that "businesses expect resolute action."

At an unrelated event dedicated to EU data protection, Zoric spoke to reporters and refused to comment on the meeting with Economy Minister, Tomislav Coric, that he had attended on Thursday which was called to discuss the skyrocketing gas prices.

Zoric said that businesses “would wait for the next ten days to see specific government measures.”

“We have asked for a fast and resolute response. There is a lot potential for a bad scenario to ha happen, one which would jeopardize many good things, and would jeopardize the otherwise good economic prospects this year,” Zoric said, adding that entrepreneurs proposed introducing subsidies where necessary, as well as some  tax exemptions to help companies pull through.

He said that the ballooning gas prices were mainly threatening businesses based in Zagreb and the north of the country.

“The Zagreb Gasworks Company has been sending invoices to businesses that are now 5-7 times higher from only a month ago,” Zoric said, adding that such a sudden surge “goes against to all regulations.”

“Annexes (in subscription contracts) would first have to be signed to allow such an increase, and that hasn’t happened in any of the cases we are aware of, so we now have to tell business owners seeking advice to seek legal aid,” he said.

Zoric said a set of measures to help businesses would be necessary.

“Certainly, businesses themselves have to do something about this, there will be no cheap energy any longer, so we must act as rationally as possible. And this requires everyone to react – companies, the government, and all other stakeholders,” said Zoric.