Prime Minister-Designate says he will not allow to be pressured when it comes to the selection of ministers.
HDZ president Andrej Plenković reiterated on Friday morning that the responsibility for the selection of ministers was on him as the Prime Minister-Designate and that he would not allow any pressures, reports N1 on October 14, 2016.
“The responsibility for the choice of ministers is on the Prime Minister-Designate. There will be no pressures. I am confident that my selection will receive the support of the HDZ Presidency, our coalition partners, and finally the Parliament”, said Plenković on Friday morning on the eve of the inaugural session of new Parliament which will begin in the afternoon. “There is no reason for anyone to be nervous, this is a normal procedure, we will go step by step”, he said when asked if some people in his party were nervous.
On Thursday, Plenković said that names of ministers would be known next week. He was asked whether there were any pressures on him with regards to a potential candidate for Culture Minister Nina Obuljen Koržinek, and he said there was no pressure from anyone.
He commented on Friday on the fact that Ivan Tepeš from rightwing HSP AS will be a replacement for him at the European Parliament, after he resigned as an MEP. “The law says that he will be the new MEP. He was eighth on our candidate list, and that is a fact”, he said. “It is not up to me to decide whether it is appropriate”, said Plenković when asked whether a candidate who received just 774 preferential votes should represent Croatia in European Parliament.
The inaugural session of new Parliament will begin at 3pm. It is expected that MOST leader and HDZ’s coalition partner Božo Petrov will be elected as Speaker of Parliament. HDZ yesterday announced that its Deputy Speakers will be Željko Reiner, who was Speaker in last Parliament; Gordan Jandroković, HDZ general secretary who is scheduled to replace Petrov as Speaker in two years; and Milijan Brkić, HDZ deputy president. Opposition parties will have two Deputy Speakers, probably Milanka Opačić (SDP, former Minister of Social Policy) and Ivan Vrdoljak (HNS, former Minister of Economy).
The new government is expected to be confirmed by the middle of the next week.
