Tihomir Orešković

Grabar Kitarovic on Wednesday evening named Oreskovic, a non-party candidate with a business background in the pharmaceutical industry, as prime minister designate.

The inability of Croatia's competing coalitions to establish a mandate to form a new government after parliamentary elections in November finished without a clear winner could cause serious problems for the country if it drags on, experts told BIRN.

Croatia is entering one of the shortest election campaigns in its history after President Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic on Monday set polling day for November 8.

Now the date of the vote has been confirmed, the parties and independent candidates have 14 days to submit their applications to the State Electoral Commission, which will accept and publish all valid lists within 48 hours.

Leader of Croatia's HDZ party says his country's allies gave up on participating in the Operation Storm parade on August 4 "due to pressure from Serbia."

Tomislav Karamarko, head of Croatia's main opposition party, the centre-right Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ, has been reported for a conflict of interest over a car.

At issue is a car estimated to be worth 85,000 euro, and which belongs to the company of his fiancé.