Zagreb - The Croatian Parliament on Tuesday approved David Vlajčić (Homeland Movement, DP) as the new Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, as well as Deputy Prime Minister.
The ruling majority voted in favour of Vlajčić, with 76 votes, including the support of his predecessor Josip Dabro, who had previously conditioned his vote on the dismissal of the CEO of Hrvatske Šume, the state forestry company.
The opposition expressed their dissatisfaction, not only by pressing the "no" button during the vote but also by demanding a break before the vote. Despite opposition disapproval, Vlajčić received enough votes to secure the position.
Vlajčić, who had served as State Secretary at the Ministry of Construction before this appointment, was backed by 76 members of the ruling majority, with Dabro's vote proving decisive. The opposition voted against him, with 66 votes.
After taking the oath of office, Vlajčić pledged to serve the government honestly and in accordance with the Constitution, laws and legal order, working for the advancement of Croatia.
Although the vote for the new minister was originally scheduled for 31 January, it was delayed due to a family bereavement involving HDZ MP Branka Juričev Martinčev. Her absence would have left the ruling majority without the necessary 76 votes to confirm the new minister.
Josip Dabro, the former minister who resigned after a video surfaced showing him firing a pistol from a moving car, had set the condition that he would only support the new minister if the HDZ's Nediljko Dujić was removed as the chairman of the management board at Hrvatske Šume.
Meanwhile, during the parliament's one-week break, which had been scheduled earlier in the year for fieldwork, the government dismissed Dujić and two other members of the management board at Hrvatske šume.