Croatia's junior party in ruling coalition quits, tension rises

Croatia's junior party Most (Bridge) in the ruling coalition said on Friday its four ministers quitted from the government after argument with the prime minister, triggering a possible early elections.

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic on Thursday sacked three ministers from the Most after they failed to support Finance Minister Zdravko Maric amid opposition's demand for him to step down due to a financial crisis of Agrokor, the Croatia's biggest private food company. On Friday, last Minister of the Most resigned.

Most party leader Bozo Petrov, who is also speaker of Parliament, said the fairest solution to the current political crisis would be an early parliamentary elections.

However, Plenkovic, also the leader of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), main party in ruling coalition, said on Friday he was sure HDZ would have a new parliamentary majority and new ministers and even a new parliament speaker would be appointed soon to replace those from the Most.

On the same day, 79 members of the 151-seat parliament, most of them from HDZ, filed a no confidence motion to Petrov, the Speaker.

Political analysts in Croatia believed the growing tension between the coalition partners has increased the prospect of a possible early election.

A dispute between HDZ and Most last year toppled their previous government after just six months in office, and an early election was held. Enditem