The Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) on Saturday left the ruling coalition led by the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) of Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor.
The decision was made by a majority vote at a meeting of the party's presidency and governing council.
"It was a hard decision to make, but we are leaving the ruling coalition dissatisfied with its work and because of accusations that we are a disloyal partner," HSLS President Darinko Kosor said at a press conference after a four-hour meeting of the governing council.
"I don't want to participate in the work of a ruling coalition that is accusing us of disloyalty. We are an honourable party and we cannot ignore such accusations," Kosor said.
Kosor said that at a coalition meeting held about 10 days ago the HDZ accused the HSLS and another coalition partner of being disloyal. He would not name the other party that had been criticised for disloyalty.
Kosor said that one presidency member and three governing council members voted against leaving the coalition. "This shows the party's unity," he said and added: "We're leaving the ruling coalition, but we're not joining any other coalition."
"In the coming months the HSLS will be fully independent on the political scene," Kosor said, inviting citizens and independent political candidates to join the HSLS. "Now is the right time for them to join us to form a strong Liberal group."
Kosor said that today's decision marked "a new beginning, the beginning of creation of the new image of the HSLS as the main Liberal group in Croatia."
"With our departure we're not toppling the majority in Parliament or the government," Kosor said, adding that the HSLS members of Parliament would continue to support the government's economic recovery programme, but "no longer as coalition partners, but as free thinkers, as real Liberal parties do."
Kosor said that the HSLS was not against the economic recovery programme but "against how it is being implemented." He said that the HSLS had put forward lots of proposals at coalition meetings, but none had been accepted. He expressed his dissatisfaction with the government's management of public finances and dialogue with the social partners on amending labour legislation.
