Zagreb - The motion for a no-confidence vote against Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman, which was submitted by the Bridge party over the minister's failure to declare dividend income of €2.1 million from the company owned by his family, was on Tuesday supported by 48 MPs while 77 were against it.
The motion of no-confidence was thus rejected by the majority.
During the debate, some of the Opposition lawmakers claimed that the company was privatised by his father because the family had supported the HDZ party. They also insisted that Grlić-Radman lied about his declaration of assets.
Grlić Radman did not declare €2.1 million he had received in dividends as a co-owner of the Agroproteinka company. This came to light amid the African Swine Fever crisis because Agroproteinka is the sole company in Croatia licensed to dispose of dead or euthanised animals.
Davor Ivo Stier of the HDZ party said that Agroproteinka had concluded the job with the state about disposal of euthanised carcasses before Grlić Radman became the minister. Stier said that the minister had declared the shares he has in the company in his declaration of assets, he had paid taxes but he only forgot to declare the profit in his declaration of assets,
This is where he erred. He will bear the consequences and the Conflict of interests Commission will decide on that, Stier said, explaining that the Commission found that the minister did not abuse his office.
This is the second time in a year that the minister has survived a no-confidence vote. The previous no-confidence vote against Grlić-Radman was moved by th Homeland Movement paty that accused him of failing to fulfill any foreign affairs goal.