Prime Minister and HDZ leader Andrej Plenkovic said on Saturday that the ruling coalition would convene on Monday to discuss his proposal for nominating HDZ MP Damir Habijan as the new economy minister and that the Sabor would convene on Wednesday to confirm Habijan's appointment.

Plenkovic told the press, after the HDZ Youth’s convention, that he had asked Sabor Speaker Gordan Jandrokvović to have an extraordinary session on Wednesday to confirm the nomination of Habijan.

The premier reiterated that Habijan, a 41-year-old lawyer from Varazdin, is an experienced politician and active parliamentarian.

Asked by the press what Habijan can do in the remainder of the mandate of this government in the run-up to the parliamentary elections in 2024, Plenković answered that he can work on the implementation of his cabinet’s agenda and on the fulfillment of the tasks of the ministry of economy and sustainable development.

“This is a huge department, a lot of work has to be done.”

In response to the remarks by the Opposition and media that he has so far replaced 30 ministers in his two governments, Plenkovic responded that for instance, the French Prime Minister has changed 67 ministers in a shorter period, and he can 30 then.

This is irrelevant, he said.

Habijan will succeed Davor Filipovic, who was dismissed a few days ago after his special advisor Jurica Lovrincevic was exposed by some media outlets in influence peddling. Filipovic’s dismissal came after the Nacional weekly ran an article saying that Lovrincevic offered to the Zagreb-based local television network Mreza TV to lease advertising space to a number of state companies and institutions, in return asking for half of the agreed amount to be paid to him. The weekly released an audio recording of a conversation between Lovrinčević and a Mreza TV reporter.