The presidency of the Croatian People's Party (HNS) decided at its session on Thursday to nominate Vesna Pusic for the position of first deputy prime minister and foreign and European affairs coordinator, Ivan Vrdoljak for the position of economy minister and Ana Mrak Taritas for the position of construction minister.
Party president Radimir Cacic briefed the press about decisions, stressing that the proposal had been discussed with their coalition partners and that it would be sent to parliament on Friday.
He added that an early party election convention would be held late March next year, adding that before the convention he would submit his resignation to make room for a new party president.
Asked by reporters how the party would function if he was compelled to start his prison sentence before March, Cacic said that he was not the one to decide on legal formalities but he would abide by any decisions passed. He explained that party statute stipulates that the president is replaced by the party vice president who receives the most votes.
HNS vice president Ivan Vrdoljak said that he was ready to take over the hot seat in one of the most difficult portfolios. He added that he was well aware of the business of the ministry and together with the rest of the government they would all do a good job.
Cacic said that the prime minister would decide who would now coordinate the economy in the government and that the candidate would most likely come from Social Democratic Party (SDP) ranks.
The former deputy prime minister and minister of economy on Wednesday stood down from all his duties in the government after the county court in the Hungarian city of Kaposvar earlier that day found him guilty of a fatal traffic accident in Hungary in 2010 and sentenced him to 22 months in prison.
