"I see this refreshment as a further step in intensifying efforts to implement the government agenda, to the benefit of Croatian citizens and society, in order to accomplish goals such as economic growth, social solidarity, the strengthening of legal security and the international promotion of Croatia," Plenkovic said.
He again expressed satisfaction with the performance of the six outgoing ministers, and underscored that the ministerial nominees were people with great biographies and active political careers.
Parliament to convene on Friday to vote on reshuffle plan
The parliament, which is in summer recess, is to convene on Friday for an extraordinary meeting to vote on Plenkovic's reshuffle plan and ministerial nominees.
Under the plan, the government will have two new deputy prime ministers: Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic and Finance Minister Zdravko Maric.
Foreign and European Affairs Minister Marija Pejcinovic Buric, who is leaving the government to assume the post of Secretary-General of the Council of Europe in September, is to be replaced by the Ambassador to Germany, Gordan Grlic Radman.
Last week, Plenkovic nominated Ivan Malenica, the Dean of Sibenik Polytechnic, as the new Public Administration Minister, replacing Lovro Kuscevic who resigned earlier this month over reported involvement in murky real estate deals.
State Assets Minister Goran Maric, who also resigned over media reports implicating him in murky real estate deals, is to be replaced by Mario Banozic, an official of the Vukovar-Srijem County administration.
Gabrijela Zalac, the Regional Development and EU Funds Minister, will be replaced by the current Labour and Pension System Minister Marko Pavic. Pavic, in turn, will be succeeded by Josip Aladrovic, who is currently at the helm of the Croatian Pension Insurance Fund (HZMO).
Outgoing Minister for Demography, Family, Youth and Social Policy Nada Murganic is to be replaced by MP Vesna Bedekovic.
Outgoing Agriculture Minister Tomislav Tolusic's successor is the current state-secretary Marija Vuckovic.
The reshuffle will also include changes in the posts of state secretaries in several ministries. The State Secretary at the Transport and Infrastructure Ministry, Nikolina Brnjac, will assume the post of State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, while Josip Bilaver will fill her post at the Transport and Infrastructure Ministry. MP Sanja Putica was nominated the new State Secretary at the Science and Education Ministry.
Text: Hina