Zagreb - Croatia's parliament should, on Monday, approve a new government led by prime minister designate Jadranka Kosor, local media reported Saturday. Croatian President Stjepan Mesic on Friday night gave Kosor a mandate to form a new government, two days after a surprising resignation by Prime Minister Ivo Sanader.
"I believe that the new government will be formed on Monday." Kosor said after a marathon five-hour meeting with Mesic and members of all parliamentary parties and minorities.
"I expect the new government to continue pro European politics," Mesic said.
Kosor's mandate was no surprise as Sanader earlier hinted that the 56-year-old had support from both him and the ruling coalition.
Kosor will be Croatia's first female prime minister. A former reporter on war veteran issues - a job which gained her popularity among the fighters - she is an influential part of Croatian society, Kosor is a loyal Sanander supporter.
She must now take on the difficult task of bringing Croatia through the financial crisis, which has hit this Adriatic country hard.
Kosor and Sanader's HDZ party is holding a congress on Saturday in which it could decide on its presidential candidate for the 2010 polls.
Even though Sanader said he is withdrawing from politics altogether, some believe that he could reappear later in the autumn, just in time for presidential elections.
