Presenting the candidate for the post, Milanovic voiced confidence that he would run the ministry honesty, openly and energetically, like his predecessor Mirela Holy, as well as give it his own stamp.

Zmajlovic said the ministry would maintain the current course and that he would manage it transparently and in accordance with the law and international regulations.

Zmajlovic was born in Zagreb in 1978. He graduated in economics, is a member of the ruling Social Democratic Party (SDP) and a member of parliament, the chair of the parliamentary Physical Planning and Construction Committee and a member of the Finance and Central Budget Committee.

He has been the mayor of Jastrebarsko since 2009 and was elected to the SDP Presidency earlier this month.

Holy resigned on Thursday, a day after the national broadcaster published on its website an e-mail she sent to the head of state railway company HZ, Rene Valcic, in March, asking him to keep the wife of a party colleague in her job.