BY: Mustapha Lawal
Claim:
A viral Facebook video claims that former Croatian President Kolinda Grabar Kitarović transformed her country by selling the presidential jet and luxury cars, closing embassies, cutting her salary, abolishing taxes for the poor, and eradicating corruption.
Verdict:
False! Most of the claims in the video are inaccurate or fabricated. Grabar Kitarović did not have the constitutional powers to make most of the decisions mentioned, and available public records contradict nearly every point in the viral post.
Photo credit: HINA/Daniel Kasap
Full Text:
A viral video shared on Kanayo O Kanayo’s (a Nigerian actor, former politician, and lawyer who won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in 2006) Facebook page, with over two million followers, praises former Croatian President Kolinda Grabar Kitarović as “a woman who transformed her country”.
The caption accompanying the video reads: “True leadership doesn’t require luxury. … Only borrow to build IF YOU MUST, NOT TO SURVIVE. See the President of Croatia.” The post (archived here; also available here) portrays Grabar Kitarović as a selfless reformer who rejected luxury to rebuild Croatia.
The voice-over accompanying the video says, “History will remember her. Not as a queen, not as a celebrity, but as a woman who transformed her country. She sold the presidential jet and thirty-five luxury Mercedes cars used by ministers and put every dollar into the state treasury. She refused to sell public companies and reduced her salary by 30 percent to match the national average, abolished bonuses for ministers and diplomats, closed unnecessary embassies abroad, and eliminated waste. She travelled on regular commercial flights, in economy class. When people wanted loans from the World Bank, she said, ‘We will not borrow, even if it costs us our lives. We will only borrow to build, not to survive.’ She abolished taxes for low-income families, destroyed corruption at all levels, and turned a country that was once in civil war into one of the fastest-growing nations in the world. History will write her name in golden letters because true leadership does not need luxury.”
The video posted on October 20, 2025, has, as of the time of this reporting, gained over five million views, 164,000 likes, more than 43,000 shares, and 5,000 comments. Facebook users from around the world post mostly ironic remarks, such as that their own leaders “watched the video and left the chat”, believing they are witnessing a genuine example of successful political reform.
The post has spread rapidly across Africa and Southeast Europe, often accompanied by comments comparing Kitarović to African leaders, framing her as a paragon of integrity and modest governance.
(Source/Facebook)
However, are all of the claims true? Lupa, a fact-checking media outlet from Croatia, and a verified member of EFCSN, checked, and FactCheckAfrica independently verified.
Verification
Kolinda Grabar Kitarović became the President of Croatia on February 19, 2015, after defeating Ivo Josipović in the second round (archived here). She served until February 18, 2020, when she lost to Zoran Milanović (archived here).
Lupa conducted a verification of the claims made in the video, and FactCheckAfrica independently validated it. Here is what we found:
- Sale of Presidential Jet, Cars, and Public Enterprise – False
During her term, she did not sell the presidential aircraft, nor did she confiscate government vehicles from ministers, nor did she have the authority to do so. According to Croatia’s Constitution (Articles 94–106), the President does not manage or sell state assets, including vehicles or aircraft. The so-called “presidential jet” belongs to the Government of Croatia, which decides on its use. No public record or government notice supports any sale or auction of official vehicles or aircraft during her term.
- Salary Reduction – False
Official payroll records show that Kitarović’s salary increased from 22,720 kuna to 24,376 kuna during her tenure. The President cannot unilaterally cut her own pay or that of ministers, as such decisions fall under parliamentary and ministerial jurisdiction.
- Closure of Embassies – False
The President has limited powers over Croatia’s diplomatic missions. While she signs ambassadorial appointments, decisions on opening or closing embassies are made by the Government. During her presidency, no embassies were shut down.
- Refusal of World Bank Loans and Tax Abolitions – False
Croatia’s financial and fiscal policies are controlled by the Government and Parliament, not the President. There is no evidence of Grabar Kitarović refusing any loans from the World Bank or abolishing taxes for low-income earners.
- Elimination of Corruption – False
According to Transparency International, Croatia’s ranking in the Corruption Perceptions Index (involving 168 countries) fell from 50th in 2015 (score 51) to 63rd in 2019 (score 47), indicating a decline, not improvement, in perceived corruption during her tenure.
- Economic Transformation – Misleading
While Croatia’s GDP per capita increased from €10,697 in 2015 to €12,464 in 2020 (a 16.5% rise), this improvement resulted largely from government-led economic reforms, not presidential initiatives. The President’s role in Croatia is largely ceremonial and diplomatic, not executive.
- Travelling in Economy Class – True
This is the only verified claim. Reports confirm that Kitarović occasionally travelled commercially, including economy class flights. For instance, in 2015, she used the government plane for only three out of twenty-three foreign trips. She flew commercially during a four-day working visit to the United States in December 2017 and also in 2018 to the FIFA World Cup final in Moscow.
Verdict Summary
| Claim | Verdict | Fact |
| Sold presidential jet & luxury cars | ❌ False | No record or constitutional power to do so |
| Cut salary by 30% | ❌ False | Salary actually increased |
| Closed embassies | ❌ False | No embassy closures recorded |
| Refused World Bank loans | ❌ False | The President lacks the authority to take or refuse loans |
| Abolished taxes | ❌ False | Outside presidential powers |
| Eliminated corruption | ❌ False | Corruption perception worsened |
| Travelled in economy class | ✅ True | Verified via public travel logs |
Conclusion
The viral Facebook video glorifying Kolinda Grabar Kitarović is a fictional narrative dressed as leadership inspiration. It misrepresents Croatia’s political structure, exaggerates the President’s powers, and invents achievements unsupported by any credible documentation. While seemingly harmless, such misinformation distorts civic understanding and can erode trust in democratic processes, especially when shared across regions where audiences lack direct context about the country in question.
Editorial Note:
FactCheckAfrica is grateful to Lupa (Croatia) for originating this verification and sharing their findings. You can read the full Lupa fact-check report here.
