Education Min. Stepping Down, HDZ Can Find Worse

Education Minister Primorac has left chaos and a sea of problems behind. See who is in for a `new beginning`.

ZAGREB, CROATIA - Croatian Prime Minster Ivo Sanader has resigned on Wednesday, which caused Education Minister Dragan Primorac to hand in his resignation as well.

- I arrived with Sanader, I am leaving with Sanader – Primorac was brief, leaving an empty minister`s seat. His potential successors are rumoured to be former Dubrovnik mayoress Dubravka Suica and deputy PM Slobodan Uzelac.

However, Uzelac said this option is out of the question.

Primorac leaves chaos behind

The new minister`s task will be a grave one, because Primorac left chaos and a sea of problems behind.

Gvozden Flego

- Nobody has offered this to me and I would not accept it because I have other obligations at the cabinet – Uzelac told us, pointing out several times that there is a minister. He did not wish to answer the question whether this indicates that a new minister has already been chosen or whether he though that Primorac`s resignation has not yet been accepted.

The new minister should replace Primorac on Friday and for the time being, the only thing that is certain is that the new minister will have a lot of work and plenty of unresolved issues to tackle.

- The new minister`s task will be a grave one, because Primorac left chaos and a sea of problems behind – former education and technology minister Gvozden Flego told Javno.

When asked about the rumours of Dubravka Suica or Slobodan Uzelac replacing Primorac, Flego was brief, saying that surprises can happen. He did not wish to comment on how the potential ministers would perform their duties in the future.

Primorac grants students` wishes

- The HDZ [Croatian Democratic Union] is capable of finding worse than bad – Flego believes.

Primorac really did leave many unresolved issues behind, the most current one being free high education. Students across Croatia protested recently, demanding free education for everyone. Their only demand which has been granted is Primorac`s resignation, but education reform and free education are not on the agenda.

VIDEO: See Minister Shouting At Self: Resignation!

The resignation of Education Minister Dragan Primorac has been the talk of the town for quite a while. He even said himself that he has had enough of politics. Less than a month ago, he chanted “Resignation! Resignation!” at himself with the protesting students, whom he kept ignoring during their month-long protest. However, Premier Sanader did not let him leave the cabinet. Primorac told the media in mid-June that he would discuss his decision of leaving the cabinet with the PM.

- I have to talk with the prime minister, this is a sign of decency because of everything he has done for me personally – Primorac said at the time. Clearly, they had an agreement and decided to leave the cabinet together.

New minister needs to start from scratch

- The new minister needs to start from scratch, to establish relations with students, school headmasters, deans, teachers and professors in a suitable way and find out about their problems – Flego concluded.

For the time being, it seems that nobody is keen on taking Primorac` seat. The governing coalition will decide on his successor anyways. Unofficially, we find out that one person who has supposedly expressed an interest is HDZ`s Nevio Setic, who is a member of three Parliamentary Boards, including the one for Education, science and culture.

Apart from the resignations of Sanader and Primorac, the cabinet will also include several changes. Jadranka Kosor should take the premier seat, while Bozidar Pankretic will be deputy PM. Petar Cobankovic will take his seat and be agriculture minister again.