"I am inviting IDS President Ivan Jakovcic, in his capacity as the party leader and as a free man in political sense, to enter the government," Milanovic, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) leader said at a news conference in Zagreb.

Jakovcic and his associates have made Istria a brand thanks to their work in the past 20 years and they deserve a recognition for that, the PM said adding that the outgoing minister Ostojic was a good minister.

Ostojic stepped down after the media reported that the State Prosecutor's Office was investigating the sale of an attractive piece of land near the coastal resort of Rovinj, whose value rose from HRK 1 million to 25 million after urbanisation, and in whose purchase, urbanisation and sale Ostojic was involved.

IDS president Jakovcic said on Sunday he did not want to be tourism minister but a member of the European Parliament and that he saw that as a bigger challenge than the safe office of tourism minister.

Commenting on the SDP's proposal that he take the tourism minister's office after Ostojic's resignation on Saturday, Jakovcic said on a Croatian Television talk show there were much better and more expert people than him for the office, and that he was one of the most competent politicians to represent Croatia in the EP.

"The moment in the country is too serious to hand out ministerial posts in this fashion," he said.

However, on Monday, the premier said that he did not need consultations with experts. I want a political minister who has a knowledge to some extent about this job, Milanovic said.