Croatian Parliament To Debate No-Confidence Motion Against PM Sanader on Wednesday

"This is the first point on the agenda for tomorrow," an official from the parliament’s public relations office told SeeNews.

The main opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP) sent into parliament procedure on October 10 its motion of no-confidence in the prime minister, state news agency Hina reported. The SDP holds Sanader most responsible for what the party says are poor public safety record, a bad economic situation, declining living standards and inefficiency in the country's integration with the European Union, and believes that the inefficiency of the institutions led by him has paved the way for the occurrence of the gravest crimes such as contract killings and beatings, Hina added.

The centre-right coalition government dominated by Sanader’s Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) has an absolute majority in the 153-seat parliament. This is the first no-confidence motion against a member of the current cabinet which took office in the middle of January this year.

European Union candidate Croatia is fighting corruption and organized crime to remain on track for wrapping up accession talks with the European Union next year. The Adriatic country started membership negotiations in October 2005 and hopes to join the bloc around 2011.