According to a survey on smoking rates in the 28-strong EU bloc, 33 percent of those polled in Croatia say they smoke. France is fourth-ranked, 32%, and Latvia is also in this part of ranking with 30% of smokers.
On the opposite side of the ranking, Sweden is top-placed, with an 11-percent portion of smokers, while Finland follows with 19%. Malta ranks third with one fifth of those polled admitting tobacco consumption. This portion in Italy and Luxembourg both is 21%.
The survey, conducted in late 2014. shows a trend of falling smoking rates throughout Europe, from 28% in 2012 to 26% in late 2014.
Broken down by age of respondents, the 15-24 age cohort shows the biggest fall in tobacco consumption by four percentage points.
However, the average age of daily smoking initiation for new smokers in EU is 17.6 years.
"Figures show that the fight against tobacco is not won, particularly amongst the young. It is unacceptable that Europeans continue to be attracted to smoking when they are teenagers," said Vytenis Andriukaitis, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety.
As many as 59% of smokers covered by the survey say they have tried to quit.
The number of Europeans who have started smoking e-cigarettes in order to reduce or quit smoking has risen from 7% to 12%.
The most successful smoking quitters are in Sweden, the Netherlands and Denmark, where respectively 35%, 31% and 30% of respondents say they have managed to quit smoking.
In Croatia, only 16% of former smokers have won this battle. In Hungary, 11% say they have made to it, Portugal follows with 12%.