Croatia's Minister for Economy and Sustainable Development, Tomislav Coric survived a no confidence vote in Parliament on Friday, with only 51 opposition MPs voting in favour of the motion, while 76 voted against in the 151-seat assembly. There were no abstentions.

“I declare that the decision on showing no confidence in Minister Coric has not been adopted,” Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandrokovic said after the vote.

The no confidence motion was launched by 40 opposition lawmakers claiming that Coric had granted preferential treatment to the investor in the Krs-Padjene wind park, for unlawful employment, and for a possible violation of the principle of impartiality when he participated in the re-appointment of Dragan Kovacevic as head of the JANAF oil pipeline company, as well as favouring the Hungarian MOL company at the detriment of the Croatian oil company INA.

During the debate in parliament, Coric denied all the claims while Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic referred to the opposition’s arguments as ridiculous adding that Coric enjoyed his full confidence.

“Minister Coric is a good person and has my support,” Plenkovic said then.

Coric also enjoys the support of his party, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) , which was confirmed on Friday by HDZ whip Branko Bacic.

Bacic said that during the two-day debate on the no confidence motion, the opposition did not prove any unlawfulness in Coric’s work. We managed to prove that a coalition exists on the political scene between the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Homeland Movement (DP), Bridge, Sovereignists and Workers’ Front, said Bacic.

The leaders of these parties rejected Bacic’s claims.

MP Tomislav Tomasevic of the Green-Left Bloc underlined that Minister Coric has become a burden not just to the government but to the entire country too. He himself admitted that he is not competent for that portfolio. It is obvious he granted preferential treatment to the Krs-Padjene investor with whom he ate and drank in an illegal bar owned by the director of a public company that he as minister was responsible for, said Tomasevic.

The public has said that it does not trust this minister and he is the most unpopular minister in the government, added Tomasevic.