Croatian government

The Croatian government, a diverse coalition with a non-party technocrat prime minister, is struggling to function properly, with parties tussling for power and threatening early elections.

Croatian Foreign Minister Miro Kovac says it is in his country's interest in seeing Southeast Europe countries join the EU.

The Croatian government would be firm but fair in relations with Serbia, he said.

The OSCE has warned that "the independence of the broadcast regulator is a key element for media pluralism and freedom of the media."

A part of the new Croatian government is in favor of reintroducing compulsory military service.

The right-wing HDP AS party, a member of the ruling coalition, say this is "out of fear of Serbia."

The junior party in the Croatian government, the Bridge of the Independent Lists, MOST, is continuing to demand reform of local government despite encountering resistance from the leading party, the Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ.

MOST wants Croatia's current 20 counties and City of Zagreb - a special unit - cut to five to seven regions centred around bigger cities.

Simon Wiesenthal Center's Israel Office Director Efraim Zuroff has announced he would send an official protest to the Croatian government.

It concerns the recent appointment of Zlatko Hasanbegovic as the country's minister of culture.

Following more than a day of discussions within the Croatian government, War Veterans' Minister Mijo Crnoja resigned on Thursday evening.

Media reports had accused Crnoja of reporting a false residence, of tax and health insurance fraud, of acts of physical violence and of violations of private property. From the started, he rejected the claims.

There has been no less fortunate, more contentious, hasty, and less successful start to a majority, i.e., a government, than this, says Milorad Pupovac.

The leader of the Independent Democratic Serb Party (SDSS) and a member of the Croatian parliament in this way commented on the process to set up a new Croatian government.

After becoming a pivotal party for forming the next Croatian government, the Bridge of Independent Lists, MOST, on Wednesday called for a government of national unity, including MOST, the governing centre-left and the opposition centre-right coalitions.

A political newcomer, MOST won 19 of the 151 seats in parliament in Sunday's parliamentary elections.

The Croatian government "is ready to build a fence on the border with Serbia if its Plan C on the transit of refugees to Slovenia fails."

This is according to a report in the Zagreb daily Jutarnji List.