At Sinj's Pijaca market, a receipt for one coffee and one juice came to 8 euros, sparking outrage among locals who wonder how Zagora became a luxury destination.
August in Sinj is traditionally a time of big crowds, pilgrimages, and the Alka tournament, but this summer, restaurateurs seem to have decided to make the most of the influx of visitors. The target of criticism is a price that has stunned even the most hardened observers of summer price hikes: at Sinj's Pijaca, one coffee and one juice will set you back a whopping 8 euros.
The information was reported to the Slobodna Dalmacija newsroom by a reader who sent a photo of the receipt. The order was quite simple, and the amount on the bill made many wonder if it was a joke or a serious blow to household budgets. For comparison, before the euro was introduced, the same bill would have been the equivalent of 60 kuna.
While on the Adriatic coast such prices have been justified for years by high rents and the purchasing power of foreign tourists, in the heart of the Dalmatian hinterland such explanations simply don't hold water. A region that was once synonymous with affordability and local hospitality, where prices were almost symbolic, has now become the scene of what is described as profiteering greed.
The café terraces in the city center are slowly becoming the most sought-after spots during the feast of the Assumption and the Alka, but the question arises: how will local restaurateurs justify turning an ordinary coffee and juice into a luxury that the average person can increasingly afford? The comments from locals leave little room for doubt: many believe this is pure exploitation of the opportunity, with the only rule being "cash in on the rush and fleece them while it lasts."
