Parliament gives vote of confidence to new government

ZAGREB, Dec 23 (Hina) - Croatia's Parliament on Friday afternoon voted confidence in the new government led by Zoran Milanovic of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), who thus became the 10th Prime Minister since Croatia gained independence.

A total of 89 MPs, including deputies of the governing majority and ethnic minorities' representatives, voted for the new government, 12 deputies of the Croatian Democratic Party of Slavonia and Baranja (HDSSB) and the Labour Party abstained, and 28 deputies of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) voted against.

The head of the Croatian People's Party (HNS), Radimir Cacic, is the First Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister. The other three deputy prime ministers come from the SDP: Milanka Opacic, who also serves as Minister of Welfare and Youth Affairs; Branko Grcic, who also runs the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds; and Neven Mimica, who is Deputy Prime Minister for Home, Foreign and European Affairs.

Vesna Pusic (HNS) is Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Ranko Ostojic (SDP) is Minister of the Interior, Rajko Ostojic (SDP) Minister of Health, and Slavko Linic (SDP) Finance Minister. Also serving in the Milanovic cabinet are Ante Kotromanovic (SDP) as Minister of Defence, Orsat Miljenic (non-party) as Minister of Justice, Arsen Bauk (SDP) as Minister of Administration, Gordan Maras (SDP) as Minister of Enterprise, Mirando Mrsic (SDP) as Minister of Labour and Pension System, Zlatko Komadina (SDP) as Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure, Tihomir Jakovina (SDP) as Minister of Agriculture, Veljko Ostojic (Istrian Democratic Party) as Minister of Tourism, Andrea Zlatar (HNS) as Minister of Culture, Mirela Holy (SDP) as Minister of the Environment, Ivan Vrdoljak (HNS) as Minister of Construction and Spatial Planning, Predrag Matic (non-party) as Minister of Veterans' Affairs, and Zeljko Jovanovic (SDP) as Minister of Science, Education and Sport.



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