The Croatian parliament approved on Wednesday a new government led by the conservative HDZ party leader Andrej Plenkovic whose main task will be to boost growth and sort out fragile public finances in one of the weakest European Union economies.

 

The new government was formed by the HDZ and its junior center-right reformist partner Most ("Bridge") after several weeks of negotiations following a Sept. 11 snap election.

 

The government got support of 91 out of 151 parliamentary deputies.

 

"We will be the government that knows how to bring about changes," Plenkovic told the parliamentary deputies while presenting his cabinet.

 

He said that spurring growth and improving the business climate would be his government's priorities.

 

"We will ease conditions for doing business and implement tax reform to make the taxation system simpler and ease burden for citizens and businesses," Plenkovic said.

 

In the past many investors have largely shunned Croatia due to red tape, high taxes, frequently changing regulations and a slow judiciary.

 

Plenkovic said that the 2017 budget, which is expected in November, will clearly reflect efforts to reduce the fiscal gap and public debt which now stands at around 85 percent of gross domestic product.