"We will request a discussion on this government's irresponsibility. That's our responsibility towards citizens," Milanovic said in response to the question from the press if the strongest opposition party would call for early elections, adding that it would be clear in parliament next week who supported the government and why.

Asked if the SDP and the People's Party (HNS) had different positions on the incumbent government, Milanovic said they would be aligned.

"We think the same. The technical details of the proposal might differ, but the crux is the same. And the crux is that this government is bad and should leave. We won't chase it away by force or destructively," said Milanovic.

HNS leader Radimir Cacic recently said his party did not favour early elections until Croatia wrapped up its European Union accession negotiations.

Asked if the SDP was for early elections, Milanovic did not give a definite answer, reiterating that his party would request a parliamentary discussion on confidence in the incumbent government.

He said "this government is completely deformed and its difficult to reshuffle it".

Asked if the SDP was counting on the vote of former PM Ivo Sanader, who had requested the activation of his parliamentary mandate, Milanovic said he was not interested in Sanader's vote.

Commenting on a statement by former Deputy PM Damir Polancec in which he mentioned meetings with Kosor, Vladimir Seks and other HDZ officials since his release from pre-trial detention last summer, Milanovic said the SDP had nothing to do with that.

Addressing a meeting of the SDP's Split-Dalmatia County branch, he criticised the HDZ-led government by saying he was "ashamed of the situation Croatia is in and of the embarrassment and stain the behaviour of one party is causing politics as a whole".

He accused the HDZ of "taking joint funds" and some of its officials of "greedily becoming rich".

In Pula, Istrian Democratic Party (IDS) MP Damir Kajin commented on Polancec's accusation that yesterday's sentence against him for abuse of office had been reached in advance, saying that "if Seks determined the length of Polancec's sentence, this is a prelude to a state of emergency in the country, a prelude to a reign of terror".

Kajin said Croatia "is facing an economic, social and moral collapse and the only regular measure that would help it is an early election".

He said Kosor was politically responsible for "Croatia's lack of prospects" and that Sanader "is probably also criminally responsible".

He added that Kosor and Seks were fighting for the HDZ's legacy on one side and Sanader on the other.