The proposal that the current Interior Minister Ranko Ostojic become a Deputy Prime Minister after former Deputy PM Neven Mimica was appointed the European Union Commissioner for Consumer Protection, was supported by 84 members of the Croatian parliament, while 28 voted against and nine abstained on Monday, the last day of the legislature's sitting before summer recess.
The strongest opposition party - the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) - severely criticised the fact that the new Deputy PM was absent from the session at which he was voted for that position.
Sabor Speaker Josip Leko, (Social Democratic Party, SDP) excused his party colleague Ostojic, saying that "he is on a business trip. He couldn't know that the vote would be held".
The HDZ also found it to be disparaging for the national parliament not to be able to discuss on appointments at plenary session as under the Sabor's new rule book, it was sufficient for Ostojic's appointment to be discussed and supported by the relevant committee The parliamentary Committee on the Constitution, Standing Orders and Political System, with eight votes in favour and one abstention, this past Tuesday expressed its support for the proposal to appoint Interior Minister Ostojic as a Deputy Prime Minister. Ostojic is the first member of the government to be appointed according to the new rules.
The parliament also re-appointed Branko Hrvatin for his third four-year term of the President of the Supreme Court. Hrvatin's reappointment was supported by 120 MPs, with two abstentions
