Graft case shakes up Croatian government

Croatia’s main opposition party, the Social Democrats, sought on 18 May 2016 a confidence vote against Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Karamarko over an alleged conflict of interest, as a national watchdog opened a probe into the affair.

The vote in parliament, due to take place in June 2016, was seen to threaten to seriously challenge the ruling coalition in which Mr Karamarko’s HDZ party (EPP-affiliated) is the main force. The right-wing government was backed by a thin parliamentary majority and its work was marred by constant internal wrangling over reform moves.

Technocratic Prime Minister Tihomir Orešković called on the 3 June 2016 for the leaders of the two parties forming the governing coalition: Tomislav Karamarko, leader of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), and Božo Petrov, head of the smaller Most party, who were both Deputy Prime Ministers, to step down.

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ESO: Background information: Croatia: the difficult compromise government http://www.europeansources.info/record/croatia-the-difficult-compromise-government/

Balkan Insight, 18.05.16: HDZ Rifts Blamed For Lack of Quorum in Croatia http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/croatian-government-tries-to-secure-parliament-quorum-05-17-2016

Balkan Insight, 11.05.16: Croatia's Vice PM Quizzed Over Wife's 'Links to MOL' http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/croatia-s-vice-pm-wife-alleged-connections-to-hungarian-lobbyists-05-10-2016

Politico, 04.06.16: Croatian PM calls on coalition leaders to resign http://www.politico.eu/article/croatian-pm-calls-on-coalition-leaders-to-resign-tihomir-oreskovic-tomislav-karamarko-bozo-petrov/

Balkan Insight, 03.06.16: Croatia's PM Urges Both his Deputies to Quit http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/croatian-pm-called-his-deputies-to-step-down-06-03-2016

Euro|Topics: Debates, June 2016: Croatian government collapses http://www.eurotopics.net/en/159805/croatian-government-collapses

EurActiv, 07.06.16: New Croatian premier faces tough no-confidence motion http://www.euractiv.com/section/elections/news/new-croatian-premier-faces-tough-no-confidence-motion/

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