Croatian president calls consultations on new cabinet after government ousted

- Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic announced on Thursday she would start consultations with parliamentary parties on forming a new cabinet after the parliament voting no confidence in Prime Minister Tihomir Oreskovic and his government.

The consultations would start on Friday, she said, adding she would act in line with her constitutional powers.

According to Croatian laws, if no one wins support from 76 parliament members of the 151-seat parliament to form a new cabinet within 30 days, the president must call an early election.

The biggest party in the ruling coalition Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), which put forward no-confidence motion against Oreskovic, has planned a reshuffle of government and named Zdravko Maric, the finance minister of the caretaker government, for the prime minister-designate.

But HDZ's attempt could be hampered by the opposition Social Democratic Party which was gathering a majority of deputies to demand parliament be dissolved and an early election.

The junior partner of the ruling coalition MOST party, whose 12 lawmakers voted against Oreskovic's impeachment, was in favor of an early election and hoped that it would not be held before the autumn, according to its leader Bozo Petrov.

On Thursday, the Croatian parliament passed a no-confidence vote against Oreskovic and his government with 125 votes in favor, 15 votes against and two abstained. 

source : xinhua