Zagreb - Vesna Pusić of the Croatian People's Party (HNS) and Milanka Opačić of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) are the new deputy speakers of the Croatian parliament, elected from the ranks of the opposition, deputies decided on Wednesday with a majority vote and without a debate.
A total of 76 MPs were in favour of Opačić's election, 15 were against and three abstained, while Pusić received the support of 56 deputies, 33 voted against and five abstained.
With their election, the parliament now has all five deputy speakers -- three are from the ranks of the ruling majority (Ante Sanader of the Croatian Democratic Union, Robert Podolnjak of the Bridge party and Ivan Tepeš of the Croatian Party of Rights) and two are from the opposition.
Former Prime Minister Zoran Milanović and ministers from his government from the ranks of the SDP and the HNS took an oath today as parliamentary deputies in the 151-seat legislature. (Hina)