Croatian president calls on Parliament to dissolve

ZAGREB, Croatia – Croatia’s president on Friday urged Parliament to dissolve itself and pave the way for early elections after the government fell in a no-confidence vote a day earlier.

Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic addressed the nation after holding consultations with all major parties on whether any has a majority in the 151-seat parliament to form a new government.

She said that no party has given her proof that they have the necessary support and urged the parliament speaker to hold a session on the assembly dissolving itself “as soon as possible.”

Prime Minister Tihomir Oreskovic and his government fell on Thursday after weeks of political deadlock that has stalled much-needed economic reform in the newest European Union member state. Croatia joined the EU in 2013 after fighting a war for independence from Yugoslavia in the 1990s.

The ruling right-wing Croatian Democratic Union, which brought Oreskovic to power in January but later turned against him, has said it wants to form a new government with a new prime minister. Party leader Tomislav Karamarko said after consultations with Grabar Kitarovic that the party has asked the president for another week to try to garner support.

“We want to try,” Karamarko said. “We are offering a better and more functional government than the previous one.”

Opposition parties, however, said they collected enough votes in the parliament for the dissolution and the holding of early elections.

Opposition lawmaker Vesna Pusic said elections could be held in September, 10 months after the last vote.

“The parliament will meet on Monday and dissolve itself,” Pusic said.