Tomislav Ćorić has all necessary experience and professional references to perform duties of Minister of Finance

As Croatian Parliament today approved Tomislav Ćorić as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, he swore an oath to perform his duties honorably and conscientiously, to respect the constitution, laws and legal order, and to work for the overall progress of Croatia.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković presented Tomislav Ćorić yesterday at the Croatian Parliament’s Committee for Finance.

This change in the Government team, said the Prime Minister, comes after two major successes in the candidacy of Croatian officials for high positions in European financial institutions, Marko Primorac for the position of Vice-President of the European Investment Bank and the Governor of the Croatian National Bank, Boris Vujčić, for the position of Vice-President of the European Central Bank.

Croatia, he added, has not had such an opportunity in its 13 years of membership in the European Union and three years of membership in the eurozone.

"This represents a new type of international positioning. Until now, we have mainly focused on political international organizations, and this time we have made a breakthrough with very competent, experienced and proven people," he said.

New minister will fit well into the work of the Government

After it was agreed that the current Minister Primorac would leave the Government for a new position, the Prime Minister offered Tomislav Ćorić the position of new Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, which he accepted.

Since most members of parliament know Mr. Ćorić well, the Prime Minister briefly introduced him, recalling that he was a member of his first and second Government and emphasizing that he is a politician and an expert.

So far, he has held the positions of Minister of Labor and Pensions, Minister of Environmental Protection and Energy, and Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development.

"He has all the necessary professional references, he comes from the Department of Finance at the Faculty of Economics in Zagreb, so he could not be more suitable than he is," said Prime Minister Plenković.

His significant and rich experience is also contributed by the duties he performed at the Croatian National Bank as one of the vice-governors and a member of the European Banking Authority.

"I am convinced that starting tomorrow, he will fit well into the work of the Government and continue to implement the economic policy that we defined in our Program, which received support in the elections and was agreed upon with the coalition partners," he stressed.

This Program, he added, has yielded numerous economic results in the past period, and they are, above all, reflected in continuous economic growth, the highest employment and lowest unemployment ever, investment credit rating, constant growth in salaries and pensions.

In addition, he mentioned several innovative steps in the past period, such as the issuance of government securities - treasury bills and bonds - for citizens, then the formation of the Population Register, relieving the burden on businessmen and creating a positive business climate for both Croatian businessmen and foreign investors.