October 20 (SeeNews) - Croatia's new prime minister, HDZ leader Andrej Plenkovic, took office late on Wednesday after his government received the parliament's approval, following a day-long debate over the ministerial nominees.
Croatia's parliament approved Plenkovic's cabinet and program with 91 votes in favour and 43 votes against. Three MPs abstained, the government said in a statement on its website.
The new government consists of four deputy prime ministers and 20 ministers, all of whom were sworn in following the vote.
Plenkovic's four deputies will be economist and finance official Martina Dalic, who will also head the economy ministry; former Croatian member of the European Parliament Davor Ivo Stier, who will run the foreign ministry; Army Major General Damir Krsticevic, to be appointed defence minister; and former Omis mayor Ivan Kovacic, who will head the public administration ministry.
Zdravko Maric, who was appointed as finance minister by former PM Tihomir Oreskovic, will remain in his post.
Earlier this month, HDZ reached an agreement with centre-right MOST to form a coalition government. HDZ won 61 of the 151 seats in parliament in last month's early elections. MOST won 13 seats. Plenkovic will also rely on support for the coalition in parliament from deputies representing ethnic minorities and some smaller parties.
MOST leader Bozo Petrov was appointed parliament speaker for a two-year term. The two parties agreed on a rotating system, whereby the post will be held by two people appointed for a 2-year period each.