April 28 (SeeNews) - Croatia's prime minister Andrej Plenkovic dismissed on Friday administration minister Ivan Kovacic, the only remaining member of his cabinet from junior coalition partner MOST, the government said.
Plenkovic dismissed Kovacic at his request, the government said in a statement.
"Today, Plenkovic and Kovacic held a telephone conversation, during which Kovacic asked to be relieved of his duties as deputy PM and minister of administration given the change in political circumstances", the government said.
In a separate release, the government said that ten government secretaries from MOST have also been dismissed.
The latest sackings followed the dismissal of three MOST ministers on Thursday over their refusal to support finance minister, Zdravko Maric, in a no-confidence motion against him sought by opposition SDP party.
The Social Democrats earlier filed a no-confidence motion against Maric over the way he has handled the financial crisis in Croatia's largest food and retail concern Agrokor, his former place of employment. On Thursday, the government voted to reject the motion, but three MOST ministers cast their votes in support of the SDP proposal.
During a weekly cabinet session, aired live on the government's website, Plenkovic dismissed interior minister Vlaho Orepic, justice minister Anto Sprlje and energy minister Slaven Dobrovic.
In October last year, conservative Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ, and centre-right MOST agreed to form a government following a snap vote in September - Croatia's second parliamentary election in 12 months time.
The vote was brought on by the dissolution of parliament in July prompted by poor relations between MOST and HDZ. Despite their disagreements, MOST and HDZ formed a new coalition cabinet after the elections but local media are now predicting a new government crisis.