Opposition MPs called for a cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday due to graft probes which recently saw several members of Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic's government either detained or investigated.

However, they stopped short of calling for a snap election “in light of the war in Ukraine.”

MP Pedja Grbin (Social Democrats) said that regardless of the complex international political circumstances Croatia has to deal with its problems because “we have two cabinet members, a deputy prime minister and a minister who have criminal charges filed against them, which is an untenable situation.”

“The government has to respond to the state prosecutors’ request to strip Labor Minister, Josip Aladrovic, of immunity as soon as possible in order to allow criminal proceedings against him. In a situation where we can expect a new surge of inflation because of the Ukraine war, it is absolutely untenable for a minister to spend most of his time concerned with defending himself in criminal proceedings, rather than leading his ministry. Hence, Aladrovic, as well as Deputy Prime Minister, Boris Milosevic, have to go – and if they don’t do that of their own accord, the prime minister (Andrej Plenkovic) should relieve them of their duties,” said Grbin.

“We will endeavour to show our solidarity with the Ukrainian people, but we will also continue warning that this government is untenable because one minister is under investigation, while charges for another minister are in the works, and for the sake of the security of our citizens in a time of crisis, he has to go as soon as possible,” said MP Marija Selak-Raspudic (Independent).

MP Anka Mrak-Taritas from the liberal party Glas said that Prime Minister Plenkovic needs to “urgently reshuffle the government” and that the reshuffle “cannot just involve removing a single minister from the cabinet – all those who are not capable of doing their job because they are involved in defending their own corrupt actions must be removed.”

“We are all aware that this isn’t the time for a snap election because you do not go to an election if you have a war in Europe – but we have to warn about the situation in the country and be prepared for the day after,” said Mrak-Taritas, adding that May or June could be the time for an election.