New labor minister candidate meets with coalition partners; opposition slams outgoing minister

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković has made significant changes to his cabinet over the past two weeks.

Finance Minister Marko Primorac has stepped down and been replaced by Tomislav Ćorić. Alen Ružić is now set to succeed Marin Piletić as minister of labor and the pension system.

Ružić, a medical doctor from Rijeka, ran last year as the HDZ candidate for county prefect in Primorje–Gorski Kotar County. He is expected to appear before lawmakers next week and on Tuesday presented his program to members of the governing coalition.

Outgoing minister Marin Piletić received praise from coalition partners, who highlighted reforms passed during his tenure.

“Mr. Piletić did a good job. He passed important laws, and it will now be up to the new minister to speed up their implementation so that no one dies before receiving a benefit they are entitled to,” said Stipo Mlinarić, vice president of the Homeland Movement, a member of the HDZ-led coalition. “We need to get the system moving. Many people are eligible for the inclusion benefit—it’s now a matter of speeding up the paperwork and ensuring beneficiaries receive the money they are owed.”

Croatian People’s Party (HNS) leader Krunoslav Lukačić also voiced confidence in the incoming minister.

“This is a complex and demanding ministry that requires a high level of social sensitivity, but I am confident social policy will remain a top priority of this government—with the HNS on board,” Lukačić said.

HDZ deputy speaker of Parliament Željko Reiner said Piletić achieved “measurable outcomes” during his four-year term.

“We thanked our colleague Piletić for his successful work, during which he delivered truly measurable results, including record employment levels, historically low unemployment, and a series of additional measures that increased salaries and pensions,” Reiner said.

The opposition, however, paints a very different picture, arguing that Piletić leaves behind unresolved issues that disproportionately affect society’s most vulnerable groups.

Možemo MP Jelena Miloš said his departure was long overdue.

“He should have left much earlier because of the many problems he created. The minister may be gone, but the problems remain,” Miloš said. “For two years, there have been serious issues with the inclusion benefit and the right to a personal assistant. The question for the government is: when will these problems finally be resolved?”

SDP MP Sabina Glasovac accused Prime Minister Plenković of using cabinet reshuffles to deflect public criticism.

“When scandals grow too large, incompetence becomes too obvious, and public outrage too loud, Plenković resorts to the old trick of replacing a minister and reshuffling the cabinet,” Glasovac said.