Zagreb - The Sabor on Friday elected, in a secret ballot, Tatjana Katkić Stanić as the new Ombudsperson for Children for an eight-year term, and Ines Pavlačić as chair of the Conflict of Interest Commission.
Eight candidates competed for the position of Ombudsperson. Katkić Stanić, with 32 years of professional experience, 25 in the social care system and seven in the judiciary, received the highest number of votes, 75.
The outgoing Ombudsperson, Helenca Pirnat Dragičević, received 40 votes, Marina Katinić Pleić received nine, and Tatjana Holjevac, Marina Matković, Alma-Marija Rovis Brandić, Vanja Sljepčević Saftić, and Edita Štok received no votes.
"I declare Tatjana Katkić Stanić elected as Ombudsperson," said Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković, noting that she must take an oath before assuming office. He announced that she will likely do so next week.
A simple majority of the MPs who voted was required to elect the ombudsperson.
For the election of the Chair of the Conflict of Interest Commission, 76 votes were needed, that is, an absolute majority, which Ines Pavlačić, Acting Chair of the Commission, received.
"I declare Ines Pavlačić elected as Chair of the Commission, who assumes office immediately," Jandroković said.
Her opponents, Toni Domazet, Svetislav Drakulić, and Sanja Ružman, received one, two, and 4 votes.
Of the 150 members of parliament, 124 received ballots, 123 voted, and there were 40 invalid ballots, Jandroković noted.
With the election of Pavlačić, the position that had been vacant since April has now been filled. The former Chair, Aleksandra Jozić Ileković, requested to be relieved of her duties, citing problems in the functioning of the body, particularly noting that some members had undermined its work.