HDZ and MOST have started negotiations about forming a government.
HDZ and MOST completed the first round of negotiations about forming the new government. After four hours of discussions, HDZ president Andrej Plenković and MOST leader Božo Petrov gave statements which indicated that the negotiations could be significantly shorter than last year, reports Večernji List on September 14, 2016.
Some HDZ sources unofficially estimate that the negotiations could be completed within twenty days. In accordance with the election results, and the fact that MOST now has just two options, either cooperate with HDZ or stay in opposition, sources claim that MOST cannot expect to again receive all the ministries which it had in the last government. HDZ is reportedly ready to offer four ministries to MOST, two less than in the previous government. In addition, HDZ will seek to take over the Economy Ministry, which was controlled by MOST. In return, MOST will reportedly get the Ministry of Health.
Since the new leadership team in HDZ does not consider police such an important area, unlike former HDZ president Tomislav Karamarko who was focused on that sector, HDZ is reportedly now ready to leave the Interior Ministry in the hands MOST’s Vlaho Orepić, who is the most popular minister from that party. HDZ believes that MOST will insist on the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Nature, but also believe that some of MOST’s minister, such as Administration Minister Dubravka Jurlina Alibegović, will no longer be able to be part of the government. Božo Petrov will again be the Deputy Prime Minister. Also, HDZ is firm that MOST will not get the position of Speaker of Parliament.
HDZ’s candidate for that position is reportedly former Foreign Minister and current HDZ secretary general Gordan Jandroković. As for the post of Prime Minister, the only acceptable candidate for HDZ is party president Plenković.
This is just a platform for negotiations with MOST and it is possible that there will be some changes. There are already rumours about some of the names who could become members of the new cabinet. Davor Ivo Stier could become Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. Ivana Maletić will probably become the Deputy Prime Minister for economic affairs, and perhaps also Minister of Economy or Minister of Entrepreneurship. Tomislav Ćorić is also a candidate for Minister of Economy, or perhaps for Minister of Labour and Pension System. One other candidate for that position is Goran Marić. Members of the cabinet will certainly be Davor Božinović, one of the closest associates of Andrej Plenković, then Damir Krstičević and Zdravko Marić, and possibly Oleg Butković and Tomislav Tolušić.
On the other hand, MOST says they do not want to discuss appointments and distribution of ministries until HDZ positively responds to all seven of MOST’s demands. Although they do not officially want to discuss the number of ministries they will demand in the new government, it seems that their starting position will be a post of deputy prime minister and six ministries – probably the same ones they had in the government led by Tihomir Orešković.
While MOST does not have a problem with Andrej Plenković as the new Prime Minister, there could be arguments about the position of Speaker of Parliament. MOST leaders believe they should have that post. It remains to be seen whether they will be ready to abandon that request, since some in MOST say that it would not be worth it to risk the collapse of negotiations just for that one position.
