The leader of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and Prime Minister-designate Andrej Plenkovic and the leader of the Domovinski pokret (DP) party Ivan Penava signed the coalition agreement on the co-operation between the two parties in the future government on Thursday.

Plenkovic presented a list of ministers and the new government’s programme to parliament on Thursday evening, which MPs will discuss and vote on on Friday.

Plenkovic will propose to Parliament the confirmation of 18 members of the new government, including three ministers from the ranks of Domovinski pokret, while most of the HDZ ministers will remain the same. A new member of Plenkovic’s team is Tonci Glavina, who will head the Ministry of Tourism and Sport.

The programme of the new government and the names of the ministers were published on the parliament’s website on Thursday and Plenkovic will present them to MPs on Friday and ask for their trust.

Former State Secretary Glavina appointed Minister of Tourism and Sport

The list shows that Plenkovic has not dismissed a single member of the previous government, not even those whose positions are held by members of the Domovinski pokret (DP), such as Marija Vuckovic and Damir Habijan, for whom he has found new leadership positions.

The Ministry of Agriculture will be renamed the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and taken over by the Domovinski pokret, while former Agriculture Minister Marija Vuckovic will head the new Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition.

The former Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Damir Habijan, will move to the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration, which will also include the digital transformation, while the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development will be split into two departments, with the Domovinski pokret in charge of the economic sector.

The only new face from the HDZ ranks is Tonci Glavina, who is moving from his role as State Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism and Sport, which he has held since 2017, to head the ministry.

Vili Beros remains at the head of the Ministry of Health, Branko Bacic continues to be responsible for the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Construction and State Property, while Ivan Anusic retains his position as Minister of Defence. Davor Bozinovic remains Minister of the Interior and Gordan Grlic-Radman is Minister of Foreign and European Affairs.

Number of “old” ministers

Marko Primorac remains at the head of the Ministry of Finance, Radovan Fuchs continues as Minister of Education, Science and the newly added Youth, Marin Piletic is Minister of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy and Sime Erlic is Minister of Regional Development and EU Funds.

Nina Obuljen-Korzinek, Tomo Medved and Oleg Butkovic, who have been part of Plenkovic’s team from day one, i.e. for eight years, remain in the same ministerial posts. Obuljen-Korzinek remains Minister for Culture and Media, Medved Minister for War Veterans and Butkovic Minister for the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure. Butkovic was also in Tihomir Oreskovic’s government in 2016, making him the longest-serving minister.

Medved, Bozinovic, Butkovic, Bacic and Anusic will continue to serve as deputy prime ministers. Primorac will also be given a post as deputy prime minister. It is already known that one deputy prime minister’s post will go to Josip Dabro from the DP, so there will be seven deputy prime ministers in total.

According to Plenkovic’s proposal, the newly created Ministry of Demography and Immigration will be headed by Ivan Sipic, a theologian and former HDZ member. Josip Dabro, Secretary General and Chairman of the Vukovar-Srijem branch of the DP, will become Minister of Agriculture, while the Ministry of Economy will be taken over by Ante Susnjar, a lawyer from Zagreb, member of the DP Praesidium and the Court of Honour and one of the founders of the party.

One of the goals – an average net salary of €1,600

The new government has highlighted five priorities in its 2024-2028 programme: Successful, vital, fair, sustainable and sovereign Croatia.

In the chapter on successful Croatia, particular emphasis is placed on macroeconomic stability, a competitive economy and a secure labour market. The aim is to achieve an average net wage level of €1,600, create 125,000 new jobs and achieve an employment rate of 75 per cent. The education system is being modernised and every child is to have a place in kindergarten by 2030.

The Successful Croatia chapter also states that six billion euros are to be invested in the railway infrastructure over the next ten years.

In the chapter on Vital Croatia, the focus is on strengthening families and supporting young people. Special attention is also paid to providing for pensioners, with the aim of ensuring that the average pension reaches at least €750 by the end of the term of office.

The chapter on a Fair Croatia emphasises, among other things, an independent judiciary and the fight against corruption. The chapter also emphasises freedom of the media, the protection of human rights and the rights of national minorities, the fight against violence against women and children, and a more accessible and sustainable healthcare system.

Within the Sustainable Croatia chapter, priority is given to the decarbonisation of the economy, energy and transport, waste management and the preservation of biodiversity.

The fifth priority, Sovereign Croatia, outlines goals for border security and internal security. The goals include a modern military, care for veterans and a culture of remembrance.