Off the wire
• UN refugee agency launches new campaign to address funding shortfall for shelter  • ATP tennis results of Nice Cote d' Azur Open  • ILO warns poverty goal of 2030 Agenda at risk without decent work  • France to return Nigeria's stolen artifacts: ambassador  • Nigerian defense minister denies interference with counter-insurgency operations  • Interpol Secretary General calls for broader information exchange to tackle crimes  • Interview: French director Alain Guiraudie explains making of 'Staying Vertical'  • Italy retrieves stolen Christopher Columbus' letter on first voyage to Americas  • Strootman returns to Netherlands squad  • UN chief commends Kenya's hospitality toward refugees  
You are here: 　 Home

Opposition files no confidence motion against Croatian vice PM

Xinhua, May 19, 2016 Adjust font size:

Croatian opposition on Wednesday submitted a no confidence motion against first vice Prime Minister Tomislav Karamarko, requesting to investigate an alleged conflict of interest over a business deal between his wife and lobbyist.

Local magazine Nacional weekly recently released the lobbyist Josip Petrovic, who works for Hungary's MOL, paid 60,000 euros (about 67,200 U.S. dollars) to a public relations company run by Karamarko's wife for advisory media analysis services over two years, then Karamarko is the president of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), the main opposition party.

MOL, Hungary's oil company, holds the biggest shareholder in Croatia's energy company INA, followed by the Croatian government. The two sides are reportedly disputing over management rights and are fighting each other in two international arbitration cases.

The motion was filed by the main opposition party, the Social Democrat (SDP), and the vote should be take place within a month.

On Wednesday, the State Commission for the Resolution of Conflict of Interest said it would investigate the accusations against Karamarko.

However, Karamarko has repeatedly denied that his wife's business dealings with Petrovic presented any conflict of interest.

"I do not have any conflict of interest and I expect it to be proven," he said. Endit