UPDATE 1-Croatia central bank buys 188 million euros from banks to tame kuna gains

(Adds dealer's comment, details)

ZAGREB, June 6 (Reuters) - Croatia's central bank said on Tuesday it had bought 188 million euros ($211 million) from commercial banks, intervening to ease firming pressures on the kuna currency.

It bought the euros in an auction at an average rate of 7.4163 kuna per euro.

The kuna was quoted at 7.4110 at 0950 GMT, down from 7.3810 before the intervention.

It is the first time the central bank has stepped in on the local foreign exchange market this year. Last time, at the end of December, it bought 438.3 million euros from the banks to counter appreciation pressures on the kuna.

Dealers said that this time the intervention was promted by a rather strong inflow of euros in the banks in recent days.

"Apparently, the kuna is following its usual firming trend at the beginning of the summer tourist season amid an increased inflow of euros," a dealer at a major local bank said.

Also, firming pressures are attributed to an expected loan worth several hundred million euros that Croatia's indebted food concern Agrokor is negotiating with creditors as well as to investors taking positions for a possible sovereign domestic issue that the finance ministry is considering for next month.

The central bank keeps the kuna in a managed float regime against the euro occasionally intervening to counter firming or easing pressures or sudden strong rate movements.

($1 = 0.8892 euros)

(Reporting by Igor Ilic; Editing by Jeremy Gaunt)

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