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Croatian first deputy prime minister Karamarko resigns

Xinhua, June 16, 2016 Adjust font size:

Croatian First Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Karamarko on Wednesday announced his resignation after being embroiled in conflict of interest charges vis-a-vis Croatian oil firm INA.

Karamarko, the leader of the biggest party in the ruling coalition Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), called on Prime Minister Tihomir Oreskovic and Deputy Prime Minister Bozo Petrov, the leader of MOST party, a junior partner of coalition to step down as well.

Croatian parliament will vote on the HDZ's no-confidence motion against Oreskovic on Thursday, Karamarko told a news conference, adding after the vote his party would start working on a government reshuffle.

Earlier on Wednesday, the State Commission for Conflicts of Interest, an independent body, decided Karamarko was in conflict of interest when he suggested Croatia to withdraw from arbitration with Hungarian energy firm MOL, the biggest shareholder of INA due to his wife's business links with a lobbyist for MOL.

Karamarko's case has caused a political turmoil in the country that has brought the government to paralysis.

HDZ filed a no-confidence vote against Oreskovic following the latter calling for the resignation of Karamarko.

Earlier, the MOST party has expressed its support to Oreskovic and asked Karamarko to step down as soon as possible.

Croatian main opposition party, Social Democratic Party (SDP), said it would vote in favor of the government impeachment in parliament and it wanted an early election.

According to Croatian laws, if the government is voted out and no one wins support from 76 parliament members of the 151-seat parliament to form a new one within 30 days, the president must call an early election. Endit